


selling acid was a bad idea

by brogurt



Series: nowhere to go but down [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, cw; drug use, cw; mentions of rape, cw; violence, more tmg song au's?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2018-11-23 03:40:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 66,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11394618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brogurt/pseuds/brogurt
Summary: Nicole is spending the night in jail and runs into Waverly Earp. Things go from bad to worse to maybe better.--high school; no demons; fuck-up nicole; popular girl waverly





	1. 111111

\--

 

**sEP__TEMB &R**

 

\--

 

Nicole’s knee hurt, more than usual. The bum knee had come to gain a kind of psychic prowess, letting her know when something bad was about to happen. It had stung just before Champ and his crew jumped her that one time mid-July and before her flunked World History II quiz a few weeks ago. And of course, earlier tonight.

Fat lot of good it had done her.

It also could have been the concrete. Nicole was sitting on the floor, there were no beds in her cell. She was up against the wall, head tilted backwards, eyes shut. The floor, startlingly cold for September, was so hard and unpleasant it could have been covered in rusted metal spikes and been more comfortable. However, standing would only add to her limp when they let her go.

If they let her go.

Nicole groaned, the pit in her stomach deepening. She was trying to stay cool, trying to remain in control. Who knows what Nedley would say to her? A year ago this would have been unthinkable; now Nicole was surprised they hadn’t got her sooner.

There was some drunk idiot singing in the tank a few cells down. Terrible alto moans forming what she assumed were English words, maybe. Nicole pressed her fingers in her ears, desperate to drown out the sound. The noise still came through. Nicole felt like her head might bust, add it to the list of injuries.

“Sheriff!” She called out, banging her fingers against the bars of the cell. “Could I please get some advil?”

There was no answer. The singing continued.

“Sheriff?” She tried again. “Anybody!”

The singing almost seemed to get louder. Nicole sat back. Nedley wouldn’t have left her here to suffer all night would he? He wasn’t a cruel man, far from it. A flash of panic came over Nicole, visions of her parents and teachers and everybody finding out. The walls seemed to get tighter around her.

“Nedley!” Nicole’s voice choked. She stood slowly and groaned as her knee shook under the pressure. “I’m gonna fucking explode! I need some advil!” She slammed her hands against the metal, the light in the municipal county’s office too bright to keep her eyes open.

“I have some.”

Nicole looked out from her cage and saw the last face she’d want to.

“Waverly Earp.”

Waverly was standing a few feet back from the bars, eyes wide. In her hands was a tiny plastic bottle, the contents rattling.

“I always carry some.” She popped open the childproof protective casing and a few pills slipped out. “Two or three?”

“What?” Nicole was still staring at Waverly’s face, not quite sure if she had ended up dropping a few micrograms earlier.

Waverly sighed, not looking at Nicole.

“Do you take two or three pills? I usually do two.”

“Oh,” Nicole stated, “oh yeah. Um, two.”

Waverly held the advil out in front of her and didn’t move. She locked eyes with Nicole for the first time and a shame ran through the jailed woman.

Fine meetup this was, and Waverly seemed terrified of her.

“It’s not like I have a shiv back here, Waverly.”

She didn’t laugh.

“So what are you doing in the tank then?” Waverly’s eyes narrowed, “Are you drunk? I heard you don’t drink.”

“I don’t drink.” Nicole repeated, telling the truth.

“So why did Nedley bring you in?” Waverly folded her arms, a strange look on her face. Nicole shuddered, this was the longest conversation they’d ever had. Not for lack of trying. She mainly knew Waverly as Champ’s girlfriend. She’d met at her parties and been nice, nice enough. Nicole tried to be nice to everyone, especially back then. She got the feeling Champ liked her, he kept bringing Nicole around for parties.

Nicole remembered very clearly the first night she ever saw Waverly about a year and a half ago, wearing the tiniest dress and the sweetest smile. It was Oscar’s place, the first party of the year, everyone was trashed. Nicole was sober, but on seeing Waverly Earp, she felt like she could have been sick right away. It was that kind of unrequited crush, one that was so far gone Nicole could barely stand to look at Waverly and Champ together anymore. Especially now that Champ’s tune had gotten so sour.

Her knee was killing her.

“Could I just have the advil, Waverly?” Nicole asked.

“If you talk, I’ll get you some water to wash it down with.” Waverly was smart and bargained well, Nicole knew that. With her sister, it never hurt to be whip-smart at an auction. “What’s Nicole Haught doing in jail?”

Nicole couldn’t help but feel her heart speed up at Waverly remembering her name.

“Is that a promise about the water?”

Waverly cracked a smile for the first time that night.

“Pinky swear.”

“Alright.” Nicole’s voice was raspy. “Alright.”

 

 

Waverly got her a water and some crackers from the break room. The voice in the other cell had gone silent.

“I’m glad she’s sleeping.” Waverly muttered, handing the goods through the bars.

“Who?” Nicole asked.

Waverly gestured and rolled her eyes. “Wynonna.” She shrugged. “They called me into collect but nobody’s here.”

“That was Wynonna singing?” Nicole whistled, “Good lord.”

Waverly laughed, “Try living with that golden voice coming out of the shower every night.”

Nicole processed that information and downed her medicine.

“So she’s living with you again?”

Waverly’s eyes shot back to Nicole’s.

“What do you care?”

Her hands went up, plastic cup still in the right one. “I don’t.”

Waverly gave a curt nod.

“I just- last I heard, she had her own place.”

Waverly sneered, not mean. “Who told you that?”

She blushed, feeling stupid, like she usually did around Waverly. Stupid and awkward and silly and too tall and all the worst things. “I just heard it.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear.” Waverly replied, sing-song. Now Nicole was laughing, and Waverly followed. They trailed off and the station was silent.

“They call you to pick up your drunk sister?” Nicole’s tone was genuine but Waverly bit back anyways, forever defensive.

“She was just a little tipsy, and yes. I have to be responsible for her.”

Nicole cursed silently. Avoid the sister thing, idiot, I thought you knew how to read a room. Waverly must have felt her receding into a more private headspace, so she snapped twice. Nicole swung her eyes back around and they were suddenly very close. Waverly was only inches away from the bars.

“You’re avoiding the subject.” Waverly said, “I should take back my water.”

“All gone.” Nicole opened her mouth wide to prove it, letting out an “ahh” good enough for any dentist.

Waverly chuckled, incredulous. “Yes I believed you, Nicole.”

Nicole wondered silently if there was a way to hang herself without the bedsheet.

“But…” Waverly continued, pushing some hair behind her ears, “I remembered you saying you would explain your appearance tonight in the ol’ Ghost River Municipal County Police Station.” A terrible thought popped into her head. “Oh God, Nicole, did Champ do something again?”

Nicole’s eyes widened, Waverly’s concern was so genuine. After her former jock friends had kicked the shit out of her, she hadn’t heard anything from Waverly. She was only the hospital for a week or so but no Earps came by. She had wondered if Waverly ever even got the news or if it was swallowed up in the blaze of summer. Nicole saw Waverly once after the incident and they’d avoided each other’s eyes. It felt safer that way.

“No.” Nicole didn’t say anything else, so Waverly pressed her.

“Cause if he did, I’ll… he’ll be sorry.” Her threat was lame and they both felt it. Nicole didn’t really want to talk about Champ. Even when they were friends, she barely liked him.

“It was nothing to do with Champ.”

“Good.” Waverly said. She seemed as relieved as Nicole to change the subject. “So what was it then?”

Nicole sighed and slumped back onto the ground. She felt Waverly join her. They weren’t far apart, separated by a row of steel. Nicole didn’t want to lie to Waverly, and besides everyone would know soon enough.

“I was selling… stuff.”

Waverly’s mouth opened but nothing came out.

“Well, I sold acid to a cop.”

“To a _cop_ , Nicole?”

“I didn’t know he was a cop, obviously.” Nicole rushed, pushing her hair out of her eyes. It had grown unruly, she hated how long it was these days. “He didn’t seem like a cop.”

“But you had acid to sell to him?”

Nicole sighed, pausing, pausing. Waverly’s eyes were really deep and dark and lovely.

“Yes.”

Waverly sat back.

“Wow.”

“Yep.”

“Wow.”

“Stop.” Nicole shoved her face into her hands, hiding a slight blush. “My folks are gonna fucking kill me.”

Waverly hadn’t blinked since the mention of the acid. She crept towards the bars, trying to look in Nicole’s eyes. Her hand poked through cage, grabbing onto Nicole’s shirt and pulling her close. Nicole stared back, wide-eyed.

“What are you doing?”

“Are you high right now?”

Nicole’s mouth tightened.

“I only sell it.”

Waverly’s grip loosened and Nicole fell back against the concrete.

“Where do you get it?”

“A couple different places… whatever!” Nicole stood suddenly, forgetting about her knee. She yelped in pain, causing Waverly to rise in concern.

“Nicole?”

She eased off the knee, rubbing the pain out. “Why do you need to know where I get it, Waverly?”

Waverly was still, looking very serious.

“I don’t, I guess.”

Nicole stumbled back and picked up her packet of crackers. She pulled at the wrapper but her hands were trembling like there were crickets running around them. She dropped the crackers, cursing.

“Waverly, I’m sorry, could you…?” Nicole started but Waverly grabbed the fallen package before she could finish. They had peanut butter inside them, a knockoff brand.

“When was the last time you ate?” Waverly asked, tearing open the plastic with her teeth. Her voice became muddied.

Nicole shook her head. Waverly sighed and handed the stale crackers over. Nicole shoved two in her mouth.

“You need protein.” She started, “It’ll help your knee.”

Nicole shot her a look and Waverly stepped back.

“Sorry… Sore subject?” She smiled again and Nicole couldn’t stay mad at all. The smile was worth hearing what a thousand doctors had said about the knee; about supplementing the calories she won’t be burning; about going gluten free; about re-upping for physical therapy. She’d listen to any of that crap if it was coming from Waverly Earp.

“Nothing will help the knee, Waverly.”

“Fair, fair.” She paused for only a moment before sliding back in. “But have you considered yoga?”

“Have you considered letting me finish these crackers in peace?” Nicole joked.

Waverly’s eyes narrowed and she stood, grabbing her purse and moving down towards the front desk.“I think I hear someone out front, I have to go sign for my sister.” She called out, as hostile as if they were strangers, no worse than strangers. “Enjoy your crackers, Nicole!”

A streak of pain hit the knee again.

“Waverly!” Nicole hit the bars. “Fuck! Waverly, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

The doors to the cell hall slammed.

“Fuck!” Nicole kicked the wall, smartly, with her good leg. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

Wynonna had woken up and started singing again.

“Fuck.” She whispered.

 

\--

 

Nicole opened her eyes and Nedley was staring at her. For once her back hurt worse than anywhere else.

“Federal time, kiddo.”

Nicole coughed, her throat ragged. She reached for the plastic cup Waverly had brought her but it was empty.

“Did you hear what I said, Haught?” Nedley leaned in, a strange kind of anger painted on his face. “You could do federal time for this.”

“Sheriff, I...” Nicole wheezed.

“If this wasn’t your first offense and,” He sighed, “if I didn’t know you to be a good kid, I would have no choice but to charge you.” Nedley held up the tabs Nicole had received less than a week ago, they were a little discolored, a shitty looking batch. “LSD is a schedule one drug, you know that?”

Nicole nodded.

“Did you call my parents?”

Nedley held her gaze, his mustache bristling.

“Of course I called your parents, Haught.”

Nicole leaned her head back.

“Fuck.”

“Watch it.” Nedley stood, groaning as he rose. “You better watch it from now on, Haught. Graduation is only nine months away. Are you really gonna screw yourself over like this?”

Nicole didn’t respond, her fingers rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

“You should get to class.”

Nicole stood slowly.

“I didn’t get any sleep last night on the floor, I wanna go home. I wanna sleep.”

Nedley laughed sadly. “I think school’ll be easier to deal with right now, your folks sounded pretty heartbroken this morning.”

Nicole scratched at her face.

“You know, Sheriff, you’re probably right.”

 

 

At school, there was Waverly who, at eighteen years old and a hundred and ten pounds, swarmed Nicole the first chance she got. This happened to be in the eight-stall girl’s bathroom on the second floor of Purgatory High.  

“You really sold acid to a cop last night, huh?

Nicole sighed. “Yes, Waverly, I really did.”

Waverly watched her, very careful.

“I don’t believe you.” She stated, proud.

Nicole was too tired to even offer a response.

“See, I know you have this whole different image going for you now, like,” She paused, “disgraced former jock type thing, but listen, I know Nicole Haught. And I know she would never be caught dead with a pinch of someone’s leftover weed, much less selling, much less selling _acid_.”

Nicole swallowed and turned into her sink. The water was freezing which was exactly what she needed.

“I am not asking you to believe me.”

Waverly wrinkled her nose, very sweetly.

“Good, because I don’t.”

“Fine.”

“Great! We’re on the same page then, huh?” Waverly exclaimed. She was picture perfect, made up and wearing something gorgeous and Nicole’s mind wandered to the flaming mess she must appear to be. She dared not look in the mirror, looming like a ghost a few inches away.

“Guess so.”

Waverly looked triumphant.

“But…” Nicole turned, not caring about the dark circles, “If you ask Milo Puente where he gets his stuff from, you might be surprised by his answer.”

Waverly’s resolve weakened ever so slightly.

“Milo Puente? You sell to Milo Puente?”

Nicole smiled.

“Guess we’re not on the same page after all.”

Waverly’s mouth shut tight, a frown decorating her frosted lips. Nicole took a step forward, her own lips chapped.

“And Waverly, you do not know a goddamn thing about me.”

And with that, Nicole walked out of the bathroom feeling better for having beaten the smartest girl in her grade, and much worse for that girl having been Waverly Earp.

Waverly herself couldn’t do much else but stand still, listening to the automatic faucet continue to run and run and run.

 

 

Later, Waverly couldn’t stop looking at Nicole Haught. And Nicole couldn’t stop looking back.

At lunch, their eyes seemed to connect near constantly. Waverly would flutter her gaze away, back to the book in front of her or the creamed corn she was pushing around or Champ’s fingers playing with her braid.

Then a few minutes later, she would check and of course, Nicole was watching. And the game started again.

As if running into her on the Wynonna rescue mission last night wasn’t bad enough, now they seemed to be on an interception course. They saw each other between every period, not to mention all the classes they apparently shared. After the incident in July, she must have blacklisted Nicole in her mind, shutting out that guilt so easy. Now the floodgates were damn wide open.

“Stop. You’re in this class?” Waverly asked as Nicole stepped into ENG 407.

Nicole, a walking corpse, only nodded.

Waverly frowned, she wasn’t obtuse or oblivious. She had known Nicole for a little while last year when she was still the breakout star of the basketball team. A transfer sweeping in and nearly single-handedly leading Purg High to its first championship win in decades, it made big papers, national papers. There were interviews and broadcasters and important recruiters swarming a town without a Starbucks to its name. Champ liked her, even if he was a bit jealous, and she came to parties and didn’t drink and was very nice to Waverly. Extremely nice. She complemented her outfits and stuff. Very nice.

Sure they’d never _talked_ -talked, but Waverly had always liked Nicole, even after things fell apart.

Even after she tore her ACL, even after the scholarships vanished and she stopped coming to parties. Waverly liked Nicole even when Champ and his roving band of idiots had turned on her, even after they beat her up a little one night. She was sweet and pretty and maybe a little mysterious. Maybe a little interesting.

Maybe a little sexy.

Waverly pulled her hair up, it was a cool damp end of September, the humidity turning her head to frizz. She swallowed.

Nicole moved away from her but Waverly gestured, she mouthed something like ‘come here’.

She shook her head and took a seat in the back, a typical choice so Waverly was learning. She grit her teeth and picked up her binder.

Nicole was shaken awake as Waverly plopped down next to her.

“I think we need a redo.” Waverly said, extending her hand. “I’m Waverly Earp.”

“I know who you are, Waverly…” Nicole felt her heart begin to pound. This was more than she could handle in one day. “Why are you-?”

“No.” Waverly groaned and hit Nicole softly with her copy of Slaughterhouse-Five. “No, now you say: And I’m Nicole Haught.”

She stared at her until Waverly signaled something with her hands and Nicole stammered into a half-baked roleplay.

“And I’m Nicole Haught.” She felt ridiculous.

Waverly grinned. One thousand watts.

“See, we’re getting somewhere with you.”

Nicole shook her head, smiling nervously.

“Where exactly are we getting?”

Waverly tilted her head, looking around before leaning in.

“Look, I asked Milo Puente about… what you said.” Waverly paused, bringing her tone further down. “You’ve been doing this all summer.”

“Yeah.”

“Well!” Waverly’s voice cracked, “It’s a shitty way to make money.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “Don’t go all D.A.R.E. on me, Earp.”

“Don’t go all snarky sassafrass on me then, Haught” Waverly hit back, dead serious.

Nicole stifled a laugh, which Waverly easily caught.

“I’m being serious, Nicole, do you know what this could do to your college chances?”

“ _What_ college chances, Waverly?”

Waverly opened her mouth but was silenced by the bell, the English teacher entering just behind it, late from lunch.

Waverly turned her focus outwards and they didn’t talk for the rest of class. Nicole caught her eye a few times and fiddled with her mechanical pencil, but the back row was quiet. After they parted ways, Waverly didn’t see Nicole for the rest of the day.

Later that night, alone in her room, she found a note scrawled in the corner of her English binder.

‘I am a basketball player who cannot play basketball.’

And that was it.  

 

 

Nicole made it home and of course, her parents were there, tear soaked.

“We just want to know what we can do!” Her mom pleaded.

Nicole was twisting a strand of hair around and around, ceaselessly.

“Nicole.” Her dad sounded tired.

She didn’t say anything.

 

\--

 

Nicole wasn’t in class the next day, Waverly realized it right away, her eyes now open. The rumors spread so fast she knew the full story by second period. Three week suspension; full schoolwork responsibilities; someone needed to bring her notes.

Waverly’s hand went up uncomfortably fast.

“We share most of our classes.” She said coolly, not giving anything away.

She left school with double the paper-load and tried to remember which house was Nicole’s.

 

 

The doorbell was broken and there was an apology note telling her to knock, which she did.

“Hello?” Waverly called. “Nicole?”

Nicole didn’t answer, but the door wasn’t locked. Waverly was always one to mind her manners however she hadn’t been able to get Nicole off her mind all day. She couldn’t miss her.

She eased through the front door, closing it softly. She called out once more but nobody answered. Waverly didn’t remember seeing any cars in the driveway either.

It couldn’t really hurt, she figured, to take a quick look around. Some of this stuff was pretty important to the central lesson plan anyways. Waverly checked in the small kitchen and the living room and even tiptoed through what looked like an office space, maybe for her mom or something.

It was a small house, smaller than Gus’.

Waverly turned her gaze to the stairs and walked up, letting her boots sink into the carpeting. There were several rooms, only one had the light on. She marched, determined to hand over this load of crap.

She walked through the door and had a heart attack.

Waverly had found Nicole.

Very asleep and extremely naked.

“Fuck.” She whispered, dashing back outside the doorway and pressing her shaking frame against the opposing wall, well hidden from view. She shut her eyes and tried not to think back on everything Nicole had left lying outside the covers.

This is a friend of yours, her brain screamed, you are being a pervert.

Waverly placed a hand on the doorway and knocked softly.

“Nicole.” She said, “Nicole, it’s Waverly.”

She heard movement, followed by a quick grunt and a crash, what sounded like Nicole falling to the ground.

“Waverly?” Nicole’s voice came through after a terrible silence. “What the fuck.”

“I... uh… I have your homework?” She said, still cowering behind the door.  

There was another pause and then some shuffling.

“Give me a minute.”

Waverly could hear her blush through the drywall.

 

 

“Some people would ring the doorbell.”

“Your doorbell is broken.” Waverly smiled, setting the second round of missed work down on Nicole’s desk. It was covered up by trophies, medals, and other various sporting accoutrements. There was an even a cute photo of Nicole with a ball, smiling while girls played just behind her. She must have been eleven.

“This is adorable.” Waverly picked up the frame.

“Before my growth spurt.” Nicole was now wearing a loose sweater and jeans. Waverly was avoiding eye contact at all costs, desperate to stop the flashbacks that were having a greater effect on her than she’d care to admit. “I was terrible.”

“Liar.” Waverly said, knowingly.

Nicole rolled her eyes as Waverly brought the last binder out of her bag.

“That’s a lot for one day.” Nicole eyed the massive stack of papers in front of her.

“We’re coming up on midterms, you’ll still have to take them.” Waverly instructed, sounding like her mother. Nicole put her head in her hands and groaned loudly. “Really, that’s a bit melodramatic.”

“I am so fucked.”

Waverly looked at her, a lie forming.

“OH!” She shouted. “And they told me to… tutor you! You know, to keep you in the loop and everything. I’m supposed to come over after school’s out and fill you in. You know, standard stuff.” She laughed strangely.

Nicole raised her head, staring.

“They want you to tutor me? During my suspension?”

Waverly nodded rapidfire.

“Is that so weird?”

Nicole coughed and shook her head.

“Not weird at all.”

 

\--

 

Waverly arrived the next day and Nicole was waiting for her in the kitchen, fully clothed.

“It’s good to know when people are coming over.”

Waverly’s eye twitched. “I’m sure.”

Nicole slid a sandwich cut into triangles towards her, peanut butter.

“Um, thanks.” She paused, “For the crackers and everything the other night.”

Waverly smiled and picked up a corner.

“Hey, anything to score some free electric Koolaid whenever I need it, right?” She bit into the sandwich and Nicole burst out laughing. Waverly couldn’t help but join her, mouth glued shut with the monstrous amounts of peanut butter Nicole Haught had smeared onto this sandwich.

“I have more stuff for you.” Waverly managed to swallow. “We should look at it.”

Nicole took a breath and relented.

“Okay.”

It was the history shit that really tripped her up, fortunately that area also happened to be Waverly’s specialty as she glibly let Nicole know.

“Oooh come on, I love the Heian period. This’ll be nothing.” Waverly went digging through her bag and came up with some dusty tome that made Nicole sneeze just looking at it. “I found some supplementary reading at the library last week. Art, culture, _massive_ orgies. Good stuff.”

“Jesus.”

“Wipe that look off your face.”

Nicole blushed and Waverly grinned at her affect.

Yeah.

So as stated before, she wasn’t blind or anything. Waverly could feel the way Nicole looked at her just as easy as with any random guy. She wasn’t sure if Nicole thought her attraction was well hidden but it wasn’t, not even to Champ who had commented on the tension multiple times after their falling out. Waverly remembered things like ‘at least that bitch won’t be hitting on my girlfriend anymore’ being thrown around, which she took issue with. Nicole had never been anything but respectful when they had spoken, which was barely. Unlike so many of Champ's friends. 

Still, Waverly knew her body, she knew where people looked and Nicole was always looking. She had set the initial rush it gave her aside, brushing it off to hormonal stuff. Until it became recurring. And now it was constant.

Waverly wasn’t  _attracted_ to Nicole persay, that wasn’t the right word.

Nicole let out a little frustrated groan, her eyebrows creasing in confusion. Without thinking, she started chewing on the eraser nub of her pencil.

Waverly swallowed, choking out a visual.

Okay, maybe she was a little bit attracted to Nicole, but she was attractive. The time off the court hadn’t let her body go to waste, even if she did look skinnier than when she had moved to Purgatory little over a year ago. Her eyes were darker but they could still catch fire.

“What is it?”

“These fucking dates.”

Waverly smiled softly.

“Hey, hey,” she reached out her hand to touch Nicole’s, bringing the pencil to a stop, “dates are less important than the bigger stuff. It’s not: who did what when. It’s broader than that. History is like, why do people do anything at all, you know? Where did we come from and where are we going? All of these Japanese people from like a thousand years ago can tell us something about right here, right now. You and me.” Nicole stared at her and Waverly suddenly felt embarrassed, pulling her hand away. She was blushing. “Sorry, that was dumb.”

“No, it was…” Nicole searched for a word. “It was really cool.”

Waverly laughed.

“It definitely was not.”

Nicole smiled back.

They worked and Nicole started to get it and then really got it. Waverly couldn’t help but feel little blips of pride, she knew Nicole wasn’t dumb. It’s almost like she was playing at it, lowering people’s expectations.

“Do you wanna take a break?” Waverly asked, setting her own ballpoint aside. “I could kill for some fresh air.”

Nicole nodded but then shook her head.

“We should just finish up.”

“Oh,” Waverly stilled, “okay.”

 

\--

 

“I don’t really get her.” Waverly said through a mouthful of apple. “Sometimes I feel like she’s opening up and being really friendly, like last year and then: bang! I hit a wall.”

Chrissy laughed, “She’s broken pretty bad, hun. It’s not like she was ever an open book.”

“Yeah,” Waverly admitted, “I guess not.”

“Hey,” Chrissy lowered her voice, “has she talked about… that shit that went over with Champ?”

Waverly took another bite and looked at where Nicole would be sitting, alone.

“Not really.” Waverly said. “Not at all.”

 

\--

 

Nicole was still waking up at eight, unable to break that habit. Her parents seemed more exhausted than usual in the mornings so she stayed in her room until she heard both cars leave. They worked in the city, not many business opportunities in a town like Purgatory.

She had a hundred unread messages from people on either end of supply and demand, everyone wanted to know what the cops had said, or if she was cut off, or that they were cutting her off, or that they needed her more than ever. Nicole felt exhausted.

Her side business, which had been going so damn well up until that night, had already paid for a new bike and a few spare meals here and there. Most of it went into savings where she was hoping to accrue enough to start renting a place after graduation. She felt like more of a burden every minute she was under this half-assed house arrest.

Waverly was coming over earlier than usual, her last few periods had been canceled because of a flu going around town. Both teachers were out.

Waverly.

Nicole didn’t know what to make of her continued appearances. Ever since their reunion at the station, her presence seemed unavoidable. What was admiration from afar was becoming up close obsession. Not to mention her knee was killing her, it had been since she’d arrived home more than three days ago.

Waverly was kind, kinder than Nicole had even known. Something about that terrified her. She remembered people who were kind before her injury and who then had acted like she’d personally wronged them, like she’d chosen this.

“I brought froyo.” Waverly showed up several hours later and handed her a shovel-shaped spoon. “I wasn’t sure what flavors so I just went with choco/vanilla swirl, I figured, who doesn’t like choco/vanilla swirl right?”

Nicole smiled, keeping to herself that fact that she wasn’t crazy about choco/vanilla swirl.

“Thanks, thank you.”

“No problem!” Waverly slung her backpack around, landing on the countertop with a thud. “I got lots of cool stuff for today, especially from advanced calc. I honestly think she’s just messing with us at this point.”

“I called the school this morning.” Nicole said, interrupting.

Waverly paused, blinking three times.

“Oh?”

“They didn’t know anything about the tutoring.”

Waverly faltered. “Oh.”

Nicole took a deep breath.

“Nicole, I-”

“Waverly, what do you want from me?”

Waverly seemed hurt, drawing back.

“Want? What does that mean? I don’t want anything from you.” She pushed away from the counter, pacing towards the fridge with the froyo cup in her hand. “You’re the one who wants something.”

“Excuse me?” Nicole slipped into defense. “ _You’re_ the one who keeps coming to my house.”

Waverly grit her teeth. “I didn’t realize how much you hated the sessions.”

“I don’t hate them.” Nicole sighed. “I just… I don’t get it, Earp. I really don’t.”

“What?” Waverly asked, bewildered.

“So we went to a couple parties last year, you got drunk a few times.” Nicole felt a pressure building. “Fine, that was fun. We barely knew each other.”

“You never said anything beyond, ‘hello’.” Waverly interjected, her arms crossed.

“Whatever, so I was nervous.” Nicole said, “I was the new kid. You all were intimidating.”

“We all liked you, Champ liked you.”

“Yeah.” Nicole smirked. “I’m sure he did, but a couple months later, he’s the one breaking my ribs, he’s the one shit-talking me to your friends.” Nicole paused, “And you’re the one acting like none of it even happened.”

Waverly’s face burned.

“And all of sudden, you wanna be friends? Why?” Nicole demanded.

She didn’t say anything, the frozen yogurt was melting into Waverly’s hands.

“Am I some project? Are you gonna help save me?” She laughed, “The poor lowly drug dealer?”

Waverly opened her mouth but Nicole wouldn’t let her.

“Is this easing some guilt for you? For letting all that happen? I hope it isn’t working. I really hope you still feel like shit about it.”

Waverly smashed the cup into her face, bleeding chocolate and vanilla all down her shirt.

“Fuck. You.”

Waverly grabbed her bag and stormed out, the door slamming louder than Nicole had ever heard it before. She wiped syrup from her eyes, fighting the desperate urge to run after her. Trying to ignore that relief and that sorrow all mixed in with yogurt.

Nice going, Haughtshit, happy now?

“Still on the same page, huh.” She muttered.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly they're feeding into my habit with all that wayhaught angst onscreen these days.
> 
> i really have no excuse for not updating my longer things, writers block is just hard, man. so this is something else. based on a mountain goats song. i am oh so very busy so updates will come as they come. but they will come.
> 
> comments, as always, are greatly appreciated and read 100 times.


	2. 222222

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hows THAT for a fast update.

\--

 

Nicole assumed Waverly wasn’t gonna show up the next day so she didn’t get dressed, didn’t wash her face. She made herself a breakfast quesadilla around eight and crawled back to her room. You pissed her off on purpose, she told herself, this was the plan. She doesn’t actually give a shit about you. If she did, why would she still be dating Champ?

Champ entered her mind and stuck there all day like a sour grape.

There had been a party, it was right after one of her first big wins on the team. A monumental rush was spreading through a school that had never been given a reason to care about its women’s sports before. The entire team was invited to a local boy’s house and Nicole was flying. She had been terrified about moving to a small town, having sat on her sexuality for years, but she could hit all the marks of a proper layup so consistently that no one had really questioned her. They just wanted her to keep beating the crap out of their rival towns.

She had received offers from boys her age but rumors didn’t spark so easy. She was a winner and people either liked her or pretended to.

Nicole loved feeling cool. She thrived on it.

That night though, Nicole was nursing a diet coke as entire relationships played out around her. She traveled up the stairs to find a bathroom and instead discovered Champ and Waverly, wrapped around and around each other. Her shirt was shoved down, awkwardly hanging into the bowl of the sink. Waverly was raised far above him, shuddering back and forth.

They didn’t notice her, Waverly’s eyes were closed, Champ was turned away.

Nicole shut the door and swallowed.

Champ, Champ, Champ.

That name seemed emblematic of everything fascinating and repulsive about him. Champ sounded like a punch to the gut. Appropriately, Nicole learned just how well he could deliver on that a few months later.

Around twelve, she was lounging with the rodeo boy and a few of his cohorts. He bragged about the pussy he’d got and Nicole sat there, burning.

“Come on, Champ.” Nicole trailed off.

His eyes locked on her.

“What?” He grinned, “Jealous?”

She bit her lip, “Not funny.” Nicole felt the football players grow close around her. “Just be discreet. I’m sure Waverly doesn’t want you spreading that around.”

Champ laughed, lightening.

“No way, Haughtshit, she  _loves_ that shit, she told me herself.”

Nicole’s voice ran out.

“I’m serious, why do you think she’s so into that hickey stuff?” Champ blew a raspberry, “It takes forever but Jesus, if she’s not rabid afterwards.” He mimed fucking her, shuffling his hips back and forth and faking little moans. “It’s instinctual, getting marked. Everyone in the pack knowing your place.” Champ smirked and Nicole rolled her eyes. He was so drunk; the drunker he got, the stupider she felt.

“Just you wait, kid. Try and find a guy who's willing to mark you.”

Everyone laughed. Nicole hit his shoulder, not hard, and Champ shoved her back.

They could’ve passed as friends. Waverly walked downstairs later, her makeup fixed. They caught each other’s eyes so Nicole decided it was time to leave. Champ offered her a ride home but Nicole decided to walk.

“You sure?” Waverly asked, hanging onto his side. She was brighter back then. “Purgatory’s a creepy town at night.”

Nicole was sure.

 

 

She pilled up her plates from the day, little bits of scrambled eggs scraping their surface. Eggs were one of the easiest things Nicole knew how to make and now that she was on her own, it typically wound up being served three times a day.

She checked her phone. It was 5:30 in the evening. Waverly usually came around about three. She checked their driveway again. Nobody.

You did this on purpose, come on.

Nicole felt like beating the shit out of someone, preferably herself.

She looked around the kitchen, realizing what a mess she’d made. There were half-empty cups of diet, greasy smudges on the countertops. Nicole sighed and turned on the faucet to start running water over the crusted-over plates. Reaching to the stovetop, she grabbed the pan-handle.

Pain shot through her grip and her skin bubbled. The pan slipped from her grasp and landed with a crash on her floor.

“Fuck!”

There was a bright sticky welt seared across her palm, the metal handle was burning hot. Nicole’s eyes watered as she pressed down on the wound.

“Fuck.”

The stovetop had been left on, running for what must have been hours. Little flame jets hovered just beneath where the handle must have been lying out. Nicole rushed to the sink and stuck her burned hand beneath the water.

This was so typical, one event after the next. Nicole turned her eyes skyward, half in relief that the cool was providing, half in desperation.

“Am I being punished right now?” She asked of nobody in particular, “That’s not fair. It’s her fault, not mine.”

Nicole removed her hand from the stream and looked at her hand, the red brand hadn’t diminished at all, if anything it looked worse. She tried to make a fist and nearly yelped.

“Unbelievable.” She muttered.

 

 

Nicole’s parents arrived home not long after and demanded she go to a hospital. Nicole protested but less than five minutes later she was riding shotgun with her dad. He made poor small talk, emphasized by the suspension and the drugs and everything.

“How is your work with the Earp girl coming?”

“Waverly?” Nicole asked. “She, uh, isn’t coming over anymore.”

“What?” Her dad had given her red hair and a temperament that couldn’t be beat, being almost as easily ticked off as she was. His eyebrows had started to grow a little wild, one of the clearest signs of his age, and as he spoke they helped him enunciate points. Nicole thought he liked this addition to his face, refusing to trim them even slightly. “Why not?”

“I can handle my own schoolwork, dad.”

He scoffed.

“We got a progress report from Mr. Donahue. Said you got a forty-six on the recent exam.”

Nicole groaned and shrunk lower in her seat.

“A forty-six, Nic?” He wasn’t looking at her, but didn’t need to. “Are you too busy hitting up dark alleys and opium dens to actually study?”

Nicole let out a mean laugh.

“Mr. Donahue told us it’s a cornerstone test, worth a significant portion of your final grade.” Her dad continued. “Can you retake it?”

“I dunno.” Nicole answered, desperate to change the subject. She was practically lying on the floor of the car. She wasn’t a bad student but there wasn’t any motivation left. There seemed to be nothing.

“Maybe you could ask Waverly to see if she could get you a retake. Those history teachers love her.”

“I probably won’t even be able to hold the ball now.” Nicole interrupted, looked over her dish-towel wrapped hand. “Forget about my knee.”

Her dad sighed. “You’ll be able to hold the ball.” He turned into the hospital parking lot. “You’ll be fine. It’s barely a first degree burn. I just know your mother would lose it if we didn’t let a doctor check things out.” He put the car in park, facing his daughter. “Am I ever going get you to talk seriously, Nicole?”

Nicole shrugged, going to open her side door, which had been smartly locked a few moments earlier.

She sat back, face tight. “Can’t we just go in?” Nicole lifted her bandaged arm. “I’m dying here.”

William Haught wasn’t stupid or easily won, but seeing his daughter look so defeated cleanly broke him in half. So he didn’t press the issue and they went inside, learning that Nicole, indeed, would be able to hold a basketball in just a few days. And that, like always, improvement on the knee was currently stagnantated.

 

\--

 

When Waverly did show up in her kitchen the next day, Nicole fell out of her seat.  

“You idiot.”

Nicole pulled herself with her bad hand, now wrapped in a more official gauze cast. A wince ran through her.

“What are you doing here?”

Waverly sighed.

“Let me see it.” She said, reaching for her hand.

Nicole, holding onto her sour disposition, hesitantly stuck out her arm. Waverly came towards her, sending a secondary flinch through her body. The intruder took note and gave an irritated scoff.

“I don’t know if you’re hiding any frozen yogurt cups back there.” Nicole protested, “I just washed this shirt.”

“Don’t be a dick.” Waverly said, rolling her eyes. She turned Nicole’s hand over, seeing red through the white of her wrap. The touch made her seize up just a little, Nicole could smell Waverly’s perfume or maybe it was her shampoo. Either way, the scent nearly did her in right then and there.

“I’m just trying to feel safe in my own kitchen.” Nicole said, sticking to her guns. “Clearly you’re less predictable than people give you credit for.”

Waverly’s eyes shot up.

“I showed up here again, didn’t I?” She was very controlled, maybe she practiced this line. “You didn’t expect that?”

Nicole moved her gaze away, shriveling under Waverly’s light.

“Did I say anything that wasn’t true?”

Waverly laughed.

“I thought you might come after me,” she admitted, “when I ran.”

“Not exactly allowed to leave my house- ah!”

Nicole hissed as Waverly brushed up against a particularly sensitive patch of skin. Waverly jumped, laying Nicole’s hand back down on the table.

“Sorry.”

Nicole shook her head.

“It’s fine.”

Waverly took a deep breath.

“How’d you even hear about the hand?” Nicole asked. Waverly smiled but didn’t give her an answer. Nicole guessed that meant there were spies all around her.

“I’m not doing this because of Champ by the way.” She looked down again. “I’m doing this because I like you.” Nicole’s eyebrows raised. “...As a friend, of course! I want to be your friend.”

It was fun to see Waverly stumble over her own gaff.

“Why now?”

Waverly shuffled her feet. “Does it matter?”

Nicole sighed. “I had plenty of friends last year when I could still play, then I got hurt, now everybody can’t get away fast enough.” She held in the breath, “Do you know what that tells me?”

Waverly didn’t answer.

“It tells me that it’s easy to have friends who don’t give a shit about you.” Nicole’s breath was short. There was something coiled in her, desperate to say its piece. “It’s harder the other way around.”

“Very dark.” Waverly said, “Ms. Doesn’t-Need-Any-Friends. Ms. Love-Is-Fake. Ms. I-Take-Drugs-To-Ease-My-Suffering. Do you write poetry?”

“I’m not saying anything like that,” Nicole fought back. “I felt like garbage last year, Waverly, so yeah, maybe I’m a little hesitant to dive back into your little group.” She moved away, grabbing a cartoon of potato chips from her pantry. She hadn’t eaten much today. “To be honest, I don’t know how you put up with them in the first place.”

Waverly was quiet.

“Me neither.”

Nicole turned around, squinting. Waverly shrugged in response.

“They’re kind of the worst, most of the time.” Waverly started playing with the frayed pockets of her jeans. “Especially the boys, dear God. They’re like these massive sex-charged gorillas.”

Nicole watched Waverly laugh.

“It tends to be unbearable most of the time.”  

“I can imagine.”

Waverly stared at her. “Did you ever enjoy yourself?” Nicole lowered her eyebrows in confusion, “I mean at the parties, hanging out with us. Didn’t you ever once have fun?”

Nicole brought a potato chip to her mouth, remembering hours of her life around drunk jocks and vomiting cheerleaders.

“I had fun talking to you.” She took a bite.

There were always select moments with Waverly, short and quiet, but lovely.

Waverly smiled. “Smart answer, smart-ass.”

Nicole picked up her grin and offered Waverly a chip. She accepted, giving a mock curtsy. “You’re the tutor.”

Waverly saluted. “You’re damn right.” She said, chewing with her mouth open.

 

 

“So, what if I don’t want to be friends with you?” Nicole asked, shoving everything down again. The swell that hard started in her chest since Waverly had walked back in seemed insurmountable. What was it about this girl that made her unwilling to bend? Earp stubbornness was a phrase she’d heard tossed around living in Purgatory, but she’d never been so close to a live example.

Waverly gave her a look. They were in Nicole’s room again, pages and pages of notes about a Margaret Atwood short story in front of them. Nicole actually liked reading and she picked it up fast, she and Waverly were in agreement on that front.

“Nicole, you sit alone at lunch every single day, are you seriously gonna refuse this because I occasionally have sex with Champ Hardy?”

“You guys are dating. It’s not just sex.”

Waverly bit her lip, looking down.

“Says who?”

Nicole didn’t know exactly what to do with that so she pressed forward, unwilling to be caught up in Waverly’s pretty eyes or how soft her hands were or how the gap between was by this point, practically none.

“What does Champ think about us being ‘friends’?”

Waverly stepped back.

“Champ isn’t my mom. I can do whatever I like, I can be friends with whoever I wanna be friends with.” She left her mouth slightly open.

“Unwilling as that whoever may be.”

Nicole nodded slightly, fiddling with the gauze.

“Have you changed the wrap yet today?”

Nicole’s eyes went up.

“Should I be doing that?”

Waverly sighed. “You idiot. Come here.”

Nicole felt like an idiot, but around Waverly, that was just par for the course.

 

\--

 

“Are you seriously going over to Haughtshit’s house again?” Champ was hanging on her arm like a leech. Lunch was shit today so Waverly was reading. “We were gonna go into the city tonight, get fucked up.”

“I have an eight-o-clock class tomorrow! And so do you.” Waverly wasn’t looking at her boyfriend, focusing on the story in her hands. “I do not want to take that calc quiz with a hangover, Champ.”

He gave a brilliant smile.

“You shoulda stayed in Statistics with me.”

Waverly rolled her eyes and muttered to herself. “I’m actually trying to get into college here, so…”

“You know, she’s a complete creep, don’t you?”

Waverly didn’t respond, her mouth tight.

“And a lesbian.” Champ gasped, grabbing her chin and pulling their eyes together. He looked dead serious. “Shit, Waverly, she could stuff something in your drink. Next you know you’re getting fingerblasted by that weirdo.”

Waverly shoved his hands away.

“What is wrong with you, Champ?” She stood. He pouted, maintaining his innocence with a series of futile hand gestures. “Nicole’s my friend.” Waverly huffed, turning away towards the women’s bathroom.

Champ shoved another sprout of broccoli into his mouth.

“Yeah, friend, whatever.” He muttered.

 

\--

 

At the end of Nicole’s first week of suspension, Waverly dropped off all the work they’d been doing into her various classes. She bought Nicole a cupcake as a reward. It was white with red and green sprinkles. Stuck in the top was a tiny snowman, smoking a pipe.

“Very festive.”

“Christmas is a few months away but this one had the most frosting.” Waverly explained.

Nicole took a bite, slight grin on her face.

“I’m still a little nervous you’re going to assault me with any food-stuffs you bring into my kitchen.”

Waverly whacked her with a book.

 

\--

 

On Saturday, Nicole’s parents actually gave her permission to leave the house. Nicole wasn’t planning on going outside, unwilling to risk the potential embarrassment of running into her classmates, but Waverly demanded she extend her own hospitality.

“It’s only fair.”

And Nicole agreed, the oddity of her continued kindness notwithstanding.

Waverly still lived way outside of the town center in an old farmhouse that had gone down through their family for generations. Most people claimed it was cursed, how or why though, they never said. Waverly lost both her parents young and her older sisters took care of each other best they could. The Earp house was cursed in the same way any old pre-industrial house was, the ground was sinking underneath it.

Inside, however, the lights were cozy and the building seemed to settle into its charm. Without all the baggage, Nicole could picture some yuppie couple moving out here from the city to get ‘a different perspective on things’.

“Things are a mess.” Waverly apologized.

Nicole smiled, “It’s nice out here. Real quiet.”

Waverly stopped for a minute, blushing at the compliment as if it had been payed to her.

“Thank you.”

Of course, it seemed inevitable that she would run into Wynonna.

“Haughtshit. No fucking way.”

Nicole clenched her jaw. She and Wynonna got along tenuously but that still nickname wasn’t her favorite. It started as a joke after one of their wins and had unfortunately stuck. Now that she hadn’t seen a court in months, it seemed especially cruel.

“Wynonna.”

Waverly stepped between the two of them.

“I don’t know if you two have actually met.”

Both women turned their eyes towards Waverly, tension deflating.

Wynonna sent Nicole a wink and a smirk. She’d returned home in a sorry state less than a year ago. The rumour mill told Nicole that Wynonna had split town a few months before her graduation. She came home every few years or so to extort money from their aunt and uncle and terrorize the locals. This was one of her longer stays, having arrived this past April, just before her accident. She was twenty-four, without money or plans.

Nicole felt she could see her own future.

“We haven’t.” She said firmly, daring Wynonna to contradict her.

Fortunately, the elder Earp must have been in a forgiving mood as Wynonna only nodded, a gleeful smile still plastered across her face. Another secret currently safe.

“Great! This is my sister, Wynonna. Wynonna, you remember Nicole? You must have gone to a game or two.”

“I was there actually. That night” Wynonna said, curt. “You know, when all your shit went south.”

“Wynonna!” Waverly nudged her sister, then turned to Nicole. “I’m sorry, she doesn’t know how to be a good person yet.”

Wynonna laughed, turning away from both of them.

“Maybe one day!” She pumped a fist into the air and turned a corner into what Nicole imagined to be a dining room. Ingrained in the framework were little notches, the girl’s heights starting with Willa, the eldest, in 88’. The Haughts had never stayed in one house long enough for that to work out.

“Must be nice,” Nicole started, “to have roots.”

Waverly frowned.

“If you like being stuck with one view your whole life.”

Nicole thought about everything that had happened in the past week and decided she could definitely afford to slow down.

 

 

They didn’t work that Saturday. Waverly had made banana nut muffins the night before so they ate those and watched a really bad action movie on VHS.

“You seriously don’t have a DVD player?” Nicole had wondered out loud, mouth full of muffin.

Waverly brushed her off. “These feel more authentic.”

Nicole flipped the tape over in her hands. “Is this Wynonna’s?”

“They all are.” Waverly nodded. “Willa never watched with us.”

“She’s got interesting taste.”

Nicole said, loading the movie as the faded screen buzzed into operation. The static electricity made her hair stand on end. The movie itself was stupid but they could both laugh it. As it turned out, Waverly did a fantastic Schwarzenegger and made a habit of repeating his lines, cracking Nicole up.  

“Yeah, I eat Green Berets for breakfast. And I'm hungry!” Waverly mocked. Her lips were numb and her throat was aching but she couldn’t stop making Nicole laugh. It was a very nice sound.

That’s pretty gay, Waverly.

She shook the thought off easy, focusing back in on the movie.

“I have never seen so many half-naked men in my life.” Nicole said, wiping a tear from her wide eyes.

Waverly went silent, wondering if there was a hidden message she was supposed to pick up on.

Nicole is gay, she thought. She hoped. Well, not hoped, hoped was too strong a word. Waverly just wanted Nicole to feel comfortable around her, like she could tell her things, like she didn’t have to hide. Sure, Waverly had never  _voiced_ that support in so many words, she’d been hoping Nicole could pick it up through osmosis. Most of her friends assumed Nicole was into chicks. Maybe that assumption had overstayed its welcome.

“Hey Nicole?”

Nicole turned, smile still echoing on her face.

“Are you gay?”

She froze still.

“You don’t have to tell me.” Waverly rushed out, tripping over her words. Nicole turned to face her crush, who was sitting there with her perfect face and cheerleader body and long shiny hair, just daring her to fuck it up. “You really don’t. I’m sorry, shit.”

“No!” Nicole felt her mouth move but wasn’t in control. “You just, uh, you surprised me.”

Waverly stared at her, patient.

“Yes.” Nicole stated, then quickly went back, “Well, I mean, I think I am. I’ve never had sex with a girl or anything like that.” She swallowed, “Not that you needed to know that.”

Waverly laughed, a belly laugh.

“Hey, friends can talk about each other’s sex lives, right?” She tapped Nicole’s knee, inducing another reaction.

“Sure,” Nicole said, dry, “friends can do that.”

Waverly smiled, “No harm, no foul.”

“I hope I won’t offend if I don’t ask about yours.” Nicole’s snark slipped back out, feeling a little braver.

Waverly finger raised, a smirk hiding somewhere in her stern expression. “Watch it.” She said.

Nicole’s hands went up. “Watching it.”

Waverly leaned in closer. “I just, I wanted you to know you can talk to me about this stuff.” She paused, “I’m good with secrets.”

Nicole looked around the living room, chock full of the unexplained.

“I bet.” She said.

Waverly noticed her gaze sweep through the house. “It’s an old house.” She said, “Real old. And shitty.”

Nicole shrugged. “Better old and shitty than new and shitty in my book.”

Waverly raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Well, if it’s new and shitty, that’s your fault.” Nicole said, slowly like she was figuring it out as she went. “But old and shitty, that’s on your ancestors, not you.”

Waverly laughed, thinking on it.“My little druggie philosopher.” She sang, earning a smile from Nicole as Colonel John Matrix slaughtered hundreds in the background.

 

 

“Hey Waves, Henry is gonna stay here a bit.”

Nicole woke up and she was still on Earp land. Waverly had her face in the history book they weren’t supposed to be looking at today. Must have fallen asleep during the movie, Nicole rubbed her eyes.

Standing in front of the television was Wynonna and some guy Nicole had never seen her life.  

“Hi Henry.” Waverly looked up from her book.

He was wearing a stupid hat and tipped it towards the younger Earp.

“Waverly.”

“What do you mean, staying here?” Waverly asked, standing. “Like staying here indefinitely?”

Henry shook his head. “I have recently discovered a slightly less modest place of my own. Though I do miss the quiet out here.”

Waverly nodded, her expression impossible to read.

Henry then turned to Nicole, “Now, if you’ll pardon me, I still haven’t been introduced to this dashing creature?” He was smiling at Nicole, his mustache getting impossibly larger.

Wynonna let out a loud laugh. “You’re not her type, dipshit.” She cast a knowing glance at Nicole. Waverly blinked, clocking the exchange. “And she’s underage.”

“I’m eighteen, Wynonna.”

“Right, right, right.” Wynonna pulled on Henry’s sleeve, an innocent gesture made sinful by the look on her face. “This is Nicole, Waverly tutors her or something”

“She’s my _friend_ , Wynonna.” Waverly corrected.

Wynonna’s mouth dropped. “You mean you’re not getting paid for this? Oh babygirl...” She trailed off.

Nicole scrunched up her face and Henry shot her a wink.

“Charmed.”

“Hi.” She answered, biting her lip.

“We’ll be in the barn.”

They left and Nicole stewed in her anger for a moment before catching Waverly’s gaze. A mix of emotion caught in her careful features.

“You not a big fan of Henry?” Nicole asked.

Waverly shook herself and smiled. “He’s just her boy of the month.” Waverly turned her gaze to the doorway her sister had just walked out of. “Not the worst of them yet.”

“Quite a mustache.”

Waverly laughed, leaning back into their feather plume of a couch. It was older than Wynonna, so she claimed. “What did Wynonna mean, that Henry’s not your type.” She asked. Nicole was turned away. “Does she know?”

Nicole coughed.

“She probably assumed.” She answered. “Like you did.”

That wasn’t really good enough for Waverly but she let it drop. And Nicole left pretty soon afterwards. Later that night, Waverly watched Wynonna and Henry mess around in the barn, drinking and laughing. She thought about Nicole, asleep on the couch beside her. There were few moments where she almost reached out and brushed a few licks of hair down, smoothing the tangle. Her breathing was so regular while she slept. In consciousness, Nicole always sounded like she was catching up, her breath a full meter behind.

Waverly clutched a hand to her chest. Some seriously gay thoughts.

 

 

Nicole got a text from Wynonna much later on, saying exactly what she expected it to say.

 

_**[SENT1:29A.M.]** what have u got? _

Nicole bit her lip.

 

_**[SENT1:30A.M.]** im kinda cut off rn wynonna. and im supposed to stay at home _

 

A few minutes later, her phone buzzed.

 

_**[SENT1:35A.M.]** don’t u need the money? henrys buying… _

 

She swallowed and thought about the cash she’d hidden in a small vent where the heat didn’t come. It wasn’t nothing, but it could barely get her out of Purgatory. And certainly couldn’t keep her living longer than a year.

What are you prospects, Nicole? She could hear a college counselor ask: what do you want to be when you grow up?

Nicole shuffled around in some drawers and found her last few ziplocs. There was enough there, enough to make a decent bargain with Wynonna. And if her boyfriend was buying, who knows what kind of money he’d be willing to pay. He could be a complete idiot.

Nicole didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up, but she knew what she was good at. And that thing she was good at was offering an easy deal.

 

_**[SENT1:35A.M.]** how much? _

 

_**[SENT1:36A.M.]** just a few hits haughtshit. _

_**[SENT1:36A.M.]** ill be over in half an hour _

_**[SENT1:36A.M.]** and a bit more for later in the week. _

_**[SENT1:37A.M.]** FUCK yes i need this _

 

Wynonna wouldn’t cheat her, mainly ‘cause she knew Nicole would call her out. And Nicole did need the money. She told herself again, you need the money.

She pulled on a coat and closed all the doors as quietly as possible. If her parents found out she was gone, she’d already cooked up a pretty good excuse. Plus, they didn’t even know about the tabs she had left.

She got on her bike (the car was too risky noise-wise) and started towards the Earp homestead, product jiggling in the pockets of her fleece. A twinge started in her knee.

 

 

Nicole arrived and her knee was on fire.

“Shit, shit, shit.” She muttered as she dismounted.

She still hadn’t shaken the nerves of that night last week, driving around in the city, being so sure that a cop would never know to wear patches like that. Obviously it’s not like Wynonna was working for Nedley but Henry, he could be anybody.

Wynonna greeted her at the door to the barn, their usual spot, big drunk smile on her face.

“Well, hallelujah.” She laughed. Henry was slouched in a corner, not super responsive. He did tip his hat as they Nicole came further in. “Took you long enough.”

Nicole checked her phone nervously. 2:17 in the morning. She couldn’t let this drag.

“Give me specifics, Earp. I gotta get home.”

Wynonna frowned. “Very serious today, Haughtshit. This isn’t like you.” She pulled on the collar of her North Face. “Come on, hang out with us a bit. Let’s get crazy. You know it’s more fun living than selling.”

Nicole shook her head, pulling out of Wynonna’s grasp.

“And you know I don’t take what I sell.”

Wynonna stuck out her tongue.

“You know, you were a lot more fun before you got caught.”

Nicole pulled out the ziploc.

“Twenty hits for 300.”

Wynonna laughed. “Dude, I’m not stupid okay.” She walked back over to Henry, pulling a wallet out of his coat. “If you think I’m giving you 300 dollars for that low-grade shit, you must be out of your mind.”

Nicole swallowed.

“I’ve started getting my stuff from a higher-up supplier.” She explained, “The price moves, you know that.” This was such a bald faced lie Nicole wasn’t even expecting it to work. Wynonna was drunk enough that the justification probably wouldn’t matter. Nicole paid cheap for tabs in the city from locals guys who were glad to have a girl on the circuit. Guys bought easier from girls, and Purgatory High was ripe with idiots trying to ride their first high before college.

“Really? You are?” Wynonna asked, disbelief written all over her face. “Am I on Candid Camera right now or something?”

Nicole settled, trying to keep her cool. “300.”

“150.” Wynonna smiled. “I should be giving you less.”

“275.”

“150.”

“250.”

“ _150_.”

Nicole smirked, hands still trembling in her jacket pocket. “Does your cowboy even _have_ that much money?” Reverse psychology was the most reliable trick to get Wynonna to budge, ever after a few months, she still fell for it.

Wynonna’s temper soured, just slightly.

“225, Haughtshit. Nothing more.”

Nicole smiled, relaxing for the first time. “Great.”

They exchanged wares and Wynonna shook the bag.

“You sure you don’t wanna hang out?”

Nicole grimaced, “Isn’t your little sister asleep upstairs?”

“No, she’s not.”

A third voice made both Nicole and Wynonna spin towards the barn doors.

“Shit.” Wynonna sighed.

Waverly was clearly still in her pajamas, wrapped in a winter coat and wearing two huge boots on her feet. She was very still, only adding to the terror approaching the two women caught in the act. Waverly’s face was drawn tight to the middle, like it might go concave. Nicole, even as the pit in her stomach dropped out, noticed how pretty she looked in all her sleepwear.

“No, it’s hard to sleep when you hear all kinds of commotion.” Waverly’s words were pulled taut. “Especially when that commotion is right outside your house.”

“Waverly-” Nicole tried to say.

“Quiet!” Waverly exclaimed, putting her hands out. “Everybody just needs to shut up.”

Doc started mumbling something, clearly having had for more to drink then his still-standing girlfriend. “Wave-mer-lini.” He put his head back again.

“Wynonna.”

Wynonna turned, eyes still bright but getting dimmer in the face of Waverly’s rage.

“Hey.” She moved towards her sister. “Hey, I was just hitting up your protégé here for a bit of fun. No biggie.” Wynonna put her hand on Waverly’s shoulder. “Nothing to tell Gus about.”

Doc tried to stand but quickly fell backwards onto a hay bale. Waverly let out a loud, angry noise.

“Wynonna! Get him out of here.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Okay, momma Earp.” She said with a terrible sweetness.

Waverly’s arms were shaking. This was the angriest Nicole had ever seen her. There was a strange sadness in Waverly’s rage, like even with all she was feeling, she still couldn’t properly express it. There were a lot of shaking limbs, controlled motions and tears. She looked helpless angry.

Wynonna pulled Henry out of his nest and moved towards the door. Waverly snatched the plastic baggy out of her hand, to many sounds of protest from her older sister. Waverly snuck it away into her pocket, refusing to let any of the perpetrators lay their eyes on the smoking gun.

“We are going to have a talk tomorrow.” Waverly said, cool as ice.

Wynonna nodded, sending Nicole a hairy eyeball. Henry was barely upright, so close to slipping and planting his face in the mud.

“She’s gonna be soo-oo-oo mad at you.” Wynonna said to Nicole.

“Wynonna!” Waverly exclaimed, pointing at the barn doors. “Nicole and I need some privacy.”

Wynonna made another small noise, supporting the entire weight of the fully grown man on her back. “Privacy. Cute.”

They left and Waverly turned on her.

Neither knew what to say. Waverly was stewing in her rage, unable to form words. Nicole didn’t know if she wanted to defend herself or just leave.

“I’m sorry.” Nicole said. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just, I need the money, Waverly.”

Waverly’s mouth fell open, tears in her eyes.

“You need it, really?”

Nicole nodded. “I’m trying to get out of here.”

“We’re trying to get her _off_ the drugs, Nicole.” She was barely speaking above a whisper, so tight. “I’ve been wondering why she’s acting so spaced out lately. Thanks for being a team player, you stupid, selfish, manipulative-!”

“Woah.” Nicole held out her arms, 225 dollars still clutched in her hands. “Your sister is not my responsibility.”

“She is when you’re the one selling her LSD!” Waverly walked towards her, pointed as ever. They were a few feet apart. In the distance somewhere, a crow made it’s presence known. “How could you possibly think this was okay?”

Nicole couldn’t find any words.

“So much for friends.” Waverly laughed.

“Look,” Nicole started, “Last June, I’d heard that she was looking for quick and no-strings-attached trips, I barely knew you or her, I didn’t think it would matter. I didn’t think you’d want to be my- whatever. We didn’t know each other.”

Waverly shook her head.

“We just spent a whole week together, Nicole.” She sounded tired. “And you really thought I’d be okay with you slipping back in in the middle of the night to sell drugs to my sister.”

Nicole grimaced.

“I didn’t think you’d find out.” She offered.

That’s lame. Lame, lame, lame, Nicole.

A genuine movie-star tear slipped down Waverly’s face. She wiped it away and gathered in a breath. Suddenly, Nicole was so aware of the hundreds of noises surrounding the barn; frog croaks and crickets and birds and flies buzzing around lights and the wind and the creaking of old houses. It was the strangest place she’d ever made a deal.

Waverly coughed and brought her crashing back. They were still standing feet away from each other, neither having moved in over a minute.

“So, is this thing over?” Nicole asked, awkward. They locked eyes again.

Waverly moved towards Nicole, bringing their distance down. With one hand she smacked the taller girl, hard. Nicole was flung back, taken by the weight behind Waverly’s slap. They had a fourteen inch height difference but Nicole felt like she’d just been punched by a professional wrestler. Her eyes watered, though she couldn’t tell if it was from the verbal or physical assault.

Waverly leaned down.

“Don’t come near my sister again.”

She walked away and the doors stayed open after she left. Nicole rubbed her cheek, bright and red. She broke out into a smile. You really fucking deserved that one, Haught.

She looked at the wad of bills in her hand and a gnawing feeling started in her stomach. She let them drop, sinking into the mud. Walking back to her bike, Nicole tried not to think about the money or Waverly. She focused on how bad her knee was hurting.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to be fair, nic, that was not a shining moment. 
> 
> let me know what you thought! i still only have a vague sense of where i'm taking this but its fun as hell to write. i loved the response to this story and got so excited i just had to keep writing. 
> 
> don't worry nicole will get a shot at redemption in the end.


	3. 333333

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick EDIT in response to themes in comments: they definitely both have fucked up majorly to a point, but neither waverly or nicole is a bad person. they're just figuring their shit out. give them time, they'll get it right eventually! thank you for reading and commenting.

\--

 

**OCC.t0BE_r**

 

\--

 

Then things were very normal again, it was relieving.

A week and a bit went by and Waverly didn’t come by her house. Nicole’s parents took note but she shrugged away to her room, fucking around online and trying to line up better propositions around town. There was always money to make and her house arrest was over.

Nicole didn’t expect Waverly to appear, so when she didn’t there wasn’t a letdown. Did she continue checking the front door every couple hours or so? Of course, but that was only a precaution. Nicole didn’t _want_ Waverly to show up again. The woman socked her in the jaw.

Nicole rubbed her face, still slightly tender, those Earp’s had some kind of game.

Waverly had been pretending to be nice to her, to assuage some kind of guilt, to prove something to her sister or her boyfriend or to God or whatever else. It wasn’t about Nicole, Nicole was a slide-in figure. She could have picked any loser in town Champ had a history with to start again with.

So why’d she pick you, an irritating voice asked.

Bad luck, Nicole answered back.

She told herself all of these things daily, how she didn’t care about Waverly or her junkie sister and her obnoxious boyfriend or anything to do with Earps and Champs and attractive know-it-alls. Waverly Earp was a bitch and a narc and pretty much pathetic.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Nicole could taste the falseness of her pep talk sink to the back of her throat. She ran her fingers through her hair and threw up down her bathroom drain. The smell was bad and Nicole turned the faucet to wash the mess down. The burn on her hand was still stinging but she no longer needed to wear the cast.

Nicole briefly thought about Waverly helping her change the gauze but washed the memory away, fidgeting with the faucet knobs until the water was cool. Refreshing and safe.

“Nic...” Her mom was knocking, “Come on, we have to go.”

She wiped her mouth off with a towel and hung it back up.

You look awful, Nicole thought and smiled.

 

 

The counselor, prescribed by Nedley, tried too hard. Her attitude was so mind-numbingly down to earth and positive Nicole would have thrown up again if she had anything left in her.

This was her third session, one hour each. Most of each meeting was spent in silence with Nicole staring at the floor, counting the number of tiles between various ugly art pieces and off-kilter furniture. This was not her first therapist and probably wouldn’t be her last. Dr. Strats repeated her question and Nicole raised her gaze.

“How are you feeling about college these days, Nicole?”

Nicole pulled at a string coming off the couch, a soft red. It was a soothing shade, Nicole imagined laying her head on the armrest and expositing her life story. Getting a clear cut chance to explain everything that had happened over the past year but nothing came.

“I don’t really think I’ll go to college.”

Dr. Strats nodded, her hair bouncing.

“That’s just fine. I thought the same thing when I was about your age. Perfectly valid choice.” She smiled, very warm and only a touch false. Her teeth were too white somehow. You couldn’t trust a person with teeth that white. “Have you talked with your parents about your plans for the future?”

Nicole chose not to answer and resumed her staring contest with the ground.

Dr. Strats pressed forward.

“I’m sure they’d be open to having a conversation Nicole. These situations aren’t cut and dry.” She pushed a pair of glasses up her nose. “Your folks are good people.”

“How have the sessions with them been going?” Nicole asked, flipping the topic.

Dr. Strats smiled dryly. “I can’t discuss those kinds of things, you know that. Doctor-patient confidentiality.” She wrote something down on the legal pad in her lap. “I don’t discuss what you say in their meetings.”

“Do they talk about me?” Nicole asked, sitting up. It was very difficult to sit up in the plush velvet of her red couch but Nicole tried to maintain some dignity, fighting against the cushions. “What are they saying? Did you tell them it’s not their fault?”

“It’s no one’s fault, Nicole.” Her therapist leaned forwards in her chair, “It isn’t one action that we’re talking about. It’s not just selling drugs or using drugs or getting hurt in a basketball game.” She took a breath, “I want you to see that you still have a future, there are so many things you could excel at besides boozing around with the lowest common denominator.”

“I think I fall into that category.” Nicole said.

Dr. Strats shook her head, grinning. “You’re not just a basketball player, you know?” Nicole looked away. “Aren’t there other things you care about?” She asked, setting aside the notepad.

Nicole decided to tell the truth.

“I think that’s kinda the problem.” She started, rubbing her nose, “I don’t even care about basketball anymore.”

“Nothing?” Dr. Strats didn’t believe her, “I don’t buy that.”

Nicole shook her head.

“Art? Or maybe books? Law? Music?”

Waverly ran through her thoughts before disappearing.  

“Nothing,” Nicole said, nervous, “swear to God.”

Dr. Strats leaned back, not letting a glimpse of defeat slip through her expression. She checked her watch.

“You go back to school next week right?” She asked, not looking at Nicole. “I’m gonna give you some preliminary homework.”

Nicole eyes resumed their position, drifting away from the words being spoken.

“Next time we meet, I want you to find five things that you feel passionate about, write them down and bring them in.” Dr. Strats said, lame smile on her face. “We can talk and see what would be the best path towards a future in those interests. Be it school or apprencticeships or anything else.”

Nicole’s stomach flipped.

“Can you do that for me, Nicole?”

She looked up, forcing a laugh.

“We’ll see.”

 

 

Nicole’s mom had to stop by the Price Chopper for dinner stuff so Nicole stayed in the car, the heat blasting. October had gotten so cold so fast and Nic had already taken to wearing her big coat, the one with lots of pockets. Staring at her phone, Nicole wouldn’t have even noticed Waverly at all if her cart hadn’t tipped, sending vegetables and cereal and whole-grain bread rolling.

Waverly Earp was wrapped up in a sweet little parka and wore a hat with two pom-poms dangling near her shoulders. She looked unfairly adorable. Nicole felt a surge of dangerous affection run through her. Waverly’s car was stationed just across the row from her mom’s, the universe fucking with her yet again. The Earp swore loudly, it was audible through the closed windows and running engine of her mom’s car. Nicole bit her lip. There were groceries everywhere, rolling down the gravel and into the small ditches where re-pavement was needed. The lot looked pretty full. Everyone stocking up on candy in time for Halloween.

Nicole didn’t move.

A car honked, running over Waverly’s carton of whole milk which exploded like a water balloon. Waverly’s middle finger shot up in response but the stranger was already gone, off to bother somebody else. She got back down on her hands and knees, chalky silt running through the cracks of the concrete. It probably would freeze by morning.

“Okay, okay.” Nicole muttered, inhaling. She had to do something.

She unlocked the car doors and stepped out.

Waverly’s eyes immediately locked in on her, her scrambling hands stopping momentarily. There was still some light out, though the sun had already set. A flicker of anger ran through Waverly’s face and vanished just as quickly. She went back loading the lost objects into the now-standing cart. Nicole started moving towards her, getting on the ground and scooping up three potatoes along with a carton of Cap’n Crunch. She offered them to Waverly, who didn’t look at Nicole.

“These Wynonna’s?” Nicole asked, “I took you for more of a Rice Krispies kind of gal.”

Waverly snatched the box out of her hands, setting them back into the cart.

“Okay, maybe Raisin Bran, but that’s pretty lame.”

“Please go away.”

“Waverly, we need to-” Nicole started but was just as quickly cut off.

“Are you deaf? I said, go away!” Waverly wasn’t asking, her joints stiff. Nicole swallowed, picking up a can of Chickarina soup. “I actually don’t need a big, strong jock to help me. Thanks very much.” She sneered, attempting to grab the lost can from Nicole. “If I did, I would call my boyfriend. “

“I’m not much of a jock these days.” Nicole answered, flipping the soup from gloved hand to gloved hand. “Mainly a fuck-up who does stupid shit to people she cares about.”

Waverly barked out a laugh, her expression sour.

“That’s the best you’ve got, really?” She turned, unlocking her trunk with twitching fingers. “You certainly know how to fuck up an apology, I’ll give you that.” The door opened with a bang, making Nicole jump. “Is this even an apology, or do you still think you were in the right?”

“I wasn’t.” Nicole stepped closer to Waverly, getting between her and the cart. Waverly simply maneuvered around the taller girl, pom-poms bouncing around in the wind. Nicole tried again, squeezing into the tight space. All of a sudden they were very close. “I wasn’t in the right. I’m sorry.”

“Goddamn right, you weren’t.” Waverly’s words were hoarse, though that could have been her anger or the chill in the air. “Did you even like being around me?” She asked, “Was any of that genuine? Or was it just a ploy to sell to Wynonna? Honestly, I can never tell with your types.” There was a sad knowledge in her words.

Nicole drew a blank, not saying anything.

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Good answer.” She turned, picking the last bag of frozen peas off the ground. She started towards the car door and Nicole panicked.

“I miss you.” She stepped forward.

Waverly stopped, her hands tightening around the door handle.

“I really miss hanging out with you. And stuff.” Nicole felt the words coming up over her mouth. “This week has been awful.”

Waverly straightened up, her shoulders tense.

“I know I’m not good at this. I’m sorry,” Nicole said, rambling, “but I wasn’t pretending to like you. I really do enjoy you-! Being around you, I mean!” Her hands sharpened into fists, tight and sweaty. “The past few weeks have been the best I’ve had all year. I wouldn’t lie about that.”

Waverly turned, her eyes were squinted.

“What do you like about me?”

Nicole sucked in a breath.

“You’re smarter than me, but that’s easy.”

She got her first laugh out of Waverly. It was only a small chuckle but it felt like a victory, like setting a world record.

“You’re a good person and I admire that because I don’t think it’s very easy to be a good person. Especially when you’re around people like me and Wynonna.” Nicole winced, trying to not shake anything loose by bringing up her sister. “You see the best in people, Waverly. I’m asking you to see the best in me right now.”

Waverly took a step towards Nicole.

“You come back in next week?” She asked, pulling the hat off her head so she could see better. Her hair frizzed up, like it was being pulled to the sky with static electricity. Freezing wind ripped through them both.

Nicole nodded.

Waverly sighed, a billion things on her mind. She pulled a loose strand or two off of her hat. She was shedding hair left and right these days, probably the stress. Although she wasn’t sure if it was more Nicole or Wynonna, maybe a healthy combination of both.

“I’m sorry, Nicole. I can’t keep doing this.” She admitted, turning away. “How many times am I gonna have this conversation, just to have you do something awful?” The car door opened and Nicole didn’t say anything as she watched Waverly get in. The car clearly wasn’t Waverly’s, probably belonged to her aunt or maybe got stolen by Wynonna. A very plain 2004 Ford Focus. Even Waverly looked cramped.

Nicole’s stomach dropped. She was still holding the soup.

Walking up to the window, she tapped on the glass. Waverly exhaled sharply and rolled them down.

“Here.” Nicole offered it through the window.

Waverly looked at her for too long.

“Keep it.” She made a face, “Too much sodium in that crap anyways.”

Nicole nodded and almost said something else. Before starting the car, Waverly leaned ever so slightly out the window, looking guilty.

“Champ has been saying some awful things about you, by the way.” She said, and touched Nicole’s gloved hand. “I tried to get him to stop but you know how his friends are. The worst.” Waverly took a breath. “Things… about you… and me.”

Nicole felt the air in her lungs get short.

“What kind of things, Waverly?”

Waverly looked down.

“I just want you to be ready and to know that I told everybody it wasn’t true.”

Nicole leaned into the car window.

“Waverly.”

She started rolling her window up, the car lurched forward, complaining all the way.

“Waverly!” Nicole called, taking a few steps to follow before her knee crumpled. “Shit!”

The car was quickly lost in the dark of October twilight and Nicole felt like she was gonna be sick. Her mom reappeared outside of the Price Chopper.

“Where did you get that?” She asked, gesturing to the soup can in Nicole’s hand.

Nicole shook her head.

“I dunno.” She said, “I dunno.”

 

\--

 

Nicole didn’t see Waverly again until she was back in school and she nearly got run over by the same Ford Focus she’d lazily accepted chicken-noodle from a few days earlier.

“Shit!”

Waverly slammed on her brakes. stopping less than a few feet from Nicole walking her crusty bike to the rack. Nicole’s arms went up, bracing for impact. Her heart stuck in her throat. The bike hit the pavement. Their classmates stopped walking from their rides and stared at Nicole, already an object of interest, now nearly roadkill in the student lot. The car jerked. Nicole squeezed her eyes open, only a little sure she was still breathing.

Waverly slammed open her door, eyes wide.

“I’m so sorry!” She said, breathing heavy. She stared at Nicole.“I wasn’t looking where I was going. I’m sorry.”

Nicole looked back.

“Did you just try to kill me, Waverly?”

Waverly’s jaw slacked.

“I was not trying to do anything. It was an accident.”

Neither one moved.

“You maybe subconsciously tried to kill me.” Nicole offered, half a smile on her face.

Waverly huffed, quietly muttering something to herself. Nicole picked up her bike, after a moment Waverly slunk back into her car, shifting out of park.

“Unbelievable.” Nicole said, half-heartedly waving.

 

 

By third period, everybody knew about Waverly trying to kill Nicole with her car.

“She pretty much deserved it.” Nicole heard a voice from three rows back, “Did you hear about the weird shit she tried to pull with Waverly last week?”

Nicole inhaled sharply and the voice stopped.

“Haughtshit tried to get some.” It resumed, even quieter. “Apparently Waverly didn’t appreciate it.”

“Good for her. That’s fucked.”

Her ears started to burn. Waverly entered coolly not a minute later, taking the furthest possible seat away from Nicole. They didn’t look at each other, everyone else did that for them.

The room became so quiet Nicole was sure she’d actually lost her hearing.

Waverly wrinkled her nose.

“She’s always been a creep.” Another voice appeared in a stage whisper.

Nicole felt the room start to spin as talk resumed, every word could have been about her. The walls were oozing blood.

Waverly caught her eyes and sent a sympathetic smile. Other than that, she just sat there, looking anxious. Nicole remembered Waverly saying she was putting people off the rumor, like that would help.

Unless she was lying. Always possible.

“She hit on me at a party last year. Freaked me out.”

“I remember that... Jesus.”

Nicole slid her books back inside her bag, deciding when would be the least conspicuous moment to walk out and take the absence.

“Dyke bitch.”

And that was her cue.

Nicole stood and made a move for the door. Her face, red and sweaty, gave everything away as Waverly watched her take the absence. It might lead to another suspension, but that was honestly better than this shit. She knew a good a spot to wait out the period, she’d done it before.

“Nicole…” Waverly started, but Nicole was already gone, barely on the planet.

A minute later, the teacher walked in and everything sunk into normalcy again. Except for Waverly, stuck with the the dreadful look on Nicole’s face just before she’d walked out.

 

 

“Haughtshit!”

Champ Hardy and two other assholes were already occupying her bleacher spot by the time she arrived. Nicole should have guessed, as he skipped classes just as frequently as she did, albeit for completely different reasons. She’d discovered the metal cave last spring, a little hole in the chain fence that surrounded their football field. Crawling through led you to a hallowed nest of concrete and cigarette butts. Perfect place to kill a couple hours.

“Champ.” The ‘P’ popped out of her mouth, sounding like a slap to the face. “Skipping class?”

“I could ask you the same.” His expression was twisted, like he’d expected her to come.

Nicole grinned, mean. “Skool sux right, man?” There was a vile, angry smell inhabiting the small space.

“Right.” Champ repeated. “So, you selling? Or do you only push when there’s a possibility you could get some ass along with it?”

Nicole lunged so quickly for Champ his goons barely had time to react. In a minute she had him slammed against the concrete wall, littered with graffiti of dicks and misspelled slurs.

“Jesus, you psycho.” Champ let out a nervous chuckle, slightly more on edge, “Hey if you wanted a threesome, you could’ve asked.” A linebacker pulled Nicole off of him, shoving her onto the ground. She slid across the dirt before hopping back onto her feet, very outnumbered by the three guys, only one of whom she was taller than. “Though you should probably talk to Waverly about it instead of just jumping her next time.” They circled her.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Nicole’s teeth were gritted and her hands went up, ready to lose whatever fight was about to start. “What the fuck did I do?”

“Why don’t you leave Waverly alone?” Champ dusted his jacket off, a dumb expression still hanging on his face. “I mean, it’s not homophobic to say no, is it?”

Nicole scoffed. Champ was so ugly when he was lying.

“She’s the one who came crying to me all twisted up inside. You fucked that up, Haughtshit, not me.” Champ said.

“I didn’t _touch_ Waverly.” Nicole felt saliva dripping from her mouth.

“That’s not what she said.” He shrugged.

She wiped some dirt from her a face. “You’re a shit liar, Champ Hardy!” And jumped him again. Nicole’s fist shot back, ready to break some knuckles, but the arm was quickly caught by the other beefhead behind her.

“Let go of me.” She jerked her hand away, surrounded. The boys were treading water like sharks, savoring a kill. The tallest idiot moved and quickly had her arms behind her back. She hadn’t been to physical therapy the past couple weeks. Jesus, was she out of shape.

The idiot twisted her arm a little farther as Champ moved towards her. A sharp cry somehow escaped her lips, making him smile.

“Round two, huh Haughtshit?” He said, no longer kidding, “Let’s see if you’ll do any better.”

Quite the situation you’ve gotten yourself into, Haught. The irritating voice resumed.

She squirmed against his breath.

“Easy to win when it’s three on one.” She said, shallow breathing. “I wonder if you could actually take me alone, Chump.”

His expression darkened.

“The fuck did you say?”

Nicole looked at him, refusing to break.

“Would you ever fight me without backup?” She asked, only half serious. It seemed like a cool thing to say. The thought registered in Champ’s brain, she could see it on his face. That was one thing that made Champ such a terrible quarterback. You could read him like the blurb on a porno disc.

A high voice suddenly appeared.

“Champ! Let her go!”

Nicole sucked a breath in as Champ looked towards the entrance.

Waverly had known exactly where Nicole was headed, another Earp superpower appeared to be mind-reading. Either that or Waverly had followed her from the start.

“Waverly.” Nicole said, straining against their grip. Champ grinned but his boys didn’t relax.

“Babe.” He glided towards her, “Just finishing the job you started this morning.” He shot a dangerous look back Nicole’s way. His arm slid around Waverly’s waist but she broke away from, an uneasy frown on her face.

“You’re an idiot.” She said. Champ made a sound but Waverly didn’t even let him start. Her hands waved away his protest. “Go back to class.” She sighed, pushing him towards the tear in the chainlink, the exit to the field. “You will actually have to pass Spanish 2 if you want to graduate on time.” He still seemed unsettled so Waverly gave him a quick kiss as a ‘please’. Champ’s smile resumed, a kinder one than before, and he turned to his boys.

“You heard the lady.”  

They detached from Nicole, she gasped onto the ground. Champ seemed more amicable and left without fanfare. However that didn’t stop him from giving Nicole a glance that she assumed meant: ‘touch her and die’.

The thugs cleared out with him. Soon, she was alone with Waverly. The expression on her face made Nicole think that _she_ might have been the idiot referred to earlier.

“I don’t get you, Nicole Haught. I truly do not.” Waverly’s arms folded across her sweater. It was a cool fifty degrees today, a sharp improvement from the weekend. “I also don’t know how anybody buys the tough girl act when you are so obviously one of the saddest, sweetest, stupidest people I’ve ever met.”

Nicole’s eyes went wide.

“Did you bump your head on the way in? I thought you were pissed at me.”

Waverly’s throat tightened. “I am pissed at you.”

“Oh.” Nicole said. There was wind all around them but the concrete of the bleachers kept the temperature up. They could still hear the howling though.

Waverly coughed.

“To be fair,” Nicole continued, “I don’t think most people buy the tough girl act. That’s why I keep getting beat up.”

“They don’t offer fist fight seminars at your employers?” Waverly asked, false sweetness abound.

“Very funny.” Nicole fruitlessly brushed off her pants, still covered in dirt. Her knee was aching something bad. This wasn’t a good month, it could have been the rain. She might have to start on crutches again. After a moment, Nicole doubled down on sentiment. “You _are_ very funny. And good. And thoughtful. And all of those things I said before.”

Waverly smiled, pained.

“Which Nic am I seeing right now?” She asked, “Is this Nicole Haught the human person or Nicole Haught the salesman?”

Nicole swallowed.

“Hopefully I’m always the human person.” She rubbed her hands on her shirt, only spreading the mess.

Waverly laughed. “You’d think so.” She said, “But I mean, you’re really good at it. Sometimes it’s hard not to buy what you’re selling.”

Nicole was once again caught looking terrible as Waverly descended like an angel before her. There was a pattern emerging, one that Nicole didn’t like or want to participate in. Her eyes were sunken, and her breath was awful. Still, Waverly was staring at her like she was a tall glass of water in the desert, laced with arsenic. Sure it would cure your thirst for a while, but ultimately the drink would lead to disaster for all.

“Nicole.” Waverly interrupted again. “Do you…?” She trailed off, looking down at her shoes. Her cheeks were turning red.

“Do I… what?” Nicole asked. Waverly bit the inside of her cheek.

“Last week, the things you said that you liked about me. I was wondering…” She paused again, “Do you think I’m pretty?” She asked, spinning the words as plainly as she could. “Like attractive?”

Nicole took a step back.

This was fucking entrapment.

“Do you really need _me_ to tell you if you’re pretty, Waverly?”

Waverly took a deep breath, barely looking at Nicole. “I was only wondering.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair and felt a little sick.

“Look, I’m sorry, it was stupid to ask.” She said, “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Nicole took a look at the girl in front of her, body language still defiant in the face of everything else. Waverly was just about everything more than pretty (smart, funny, kind, decent) but she was pretty too. That couldn’t be denied.

“Why?” Nicole asked, “Don’t you have less dangerous friendships to introduce this question to?”

“I just wanted to know if you, like as a lesbian, or whatever…” Waverly shook her head. “I know guys find me attractive, they tell me all the time.”

“What do you care if I do or not?”

Waverly put her face in her hands.

“It’s not that.” She croaked. “Sometimes, I wonder if I actually am, or if Champ just tells me that so I’ll let him fuck me, you know?” Waverly’s words were flying out now. “I shouldn’t care about being pretty, really I should not, I shouldn’t care about whether obnoxious high school boys think I’m pretty but I still do!” She exclaimed, turning her gaze from Nicole. “It’s hard to stop caring.”

Nicole grimaced, something wicked in her teeth.

“But me?”

Waverly looked at her again.

“I feel like you’d be honest.”

“So you can run and tell your boyfriend? So he and everybody else have another reason to hate me?” Nicole shook her head. Smiling an odd smile, she pulled the jacket tighter around her body. If there was one thing Nicole loved, it was feeling swallowed by a piece of clothing. Unable to be seen through the layers of dark fabric. The jacket with many pockets was perfect for that.

Waverly’s expression turned, hurt.

“I didn’t tell him anything so bad, he’s just being a dick! He made everything worse.” Her volume raised and her voice became shrill. “I never said you touched me.”

“Good, ‘cause I didn’t.” Nicole shot back.

“I know!” Waverly hissed.

“So, why is he running around telling anybody otherwise?” Nicole demanded, “Why is everybody looking at me like I committed a murder?”

“I didn’t mean to say anything, Nicole, I was just upset. I was mad you would do something like that to me! I was pissed at you!” Waverly took a step towards her. “I wanted you to hurt a little, so what? You hurt me! You hurt me too!” She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Yes, I didn’t tell the whole entire truth, but I didn’t think he would spread rumors to the whole fucking school. Maybe that was stupid of me.”

Nicole stilled, her heart pounding.

“What did you say?”

Waverly wiped her eyes, ashamed.

“Can’t we just go back to class?”

Nicole grabbed her arm.

“What did you say, Waverly?”

Waverly looked at Nicole so mournfully it was like she’d just lost her father in a Greek tragedy. Hell, Waverly’s family tree could seem a little Shakespearean at time.

“I just said you kissed me. That’s all I said.” She whispered.

Nicole let go.

“But I didn’t.” She stated.

“I _know_ that, of course I know that.”

Nicole hit the back wall.

“I didn’t kiss you, Waverly.”

“I know.” Waverly said.

“But the whole school thinks I did now.” Nicole felt a shiver run through her body, the air was turning on them. “The whole school thinks I practically assaulted you.”

Waverly looked at the ground. “I know.”

“I wouldn’t kiss you.” Nicole said, her eyes losing focus. “I wouldn’t ever, not like that.”

Waverly repeated herself a fourth time.

The wind brought a tree down somewhere on the edges of the Ghost River Triangle and the noise made it back to their hideaway. It wasn’t a loud crash but the distant sound made Nicole flinch all the same. Neither girl looked at the other. The terrible silence of last summer enveloped them.

“I’m really am sorry for selling to Wynonna.” Nicole said. “I wasn’t thinking. Or I was, I was being selfish.” Her brain was a little short-circuited. “I won’t do that again. I’m sorry, Waverly.”

“I found the cash you left in the barn.” Waverly said, not looking at her.

Nicole inhaled.

“Yeah?”

Waverly nodded.

“I’m sorry for lying,” she said, “to Champ. I was just…” She closed her hands tight. “I was so mad at you.”

Nicole took a careful step forward.

“Waverly,” She started, “I’m not trying anything here but I think Champ wants to kill me.”

Waverly laughed, the sound muffled by her scarf. “Probably.” She said, sad and strange, “Probably.”

“What are we gonna do?” Nicole asked.

“I don’t know.” Waverly shook her head. “I really don’t.”

 

 

They didn’t make it back in time for the end of the period and the next block they shared was lunch. The cafeteria descended into silence on their entrance, something she realized was becoming an uncomfortable pattern. There was a foot of space between the pair as they walked through the double doorway.

“Oh Jesus.” Waverly muttered.

“Really.” Nicole agreed, looking down. “This is terrible.”

They parted, disappearing into separate crowds, and lunch resumed.

 

\--

 

Later, they were in Waverly’s room.

“I’m supposed to think of five things.” Nicole said, staring up at her ceiling, the cracks running parallel to the corners. She was flopped upside down on Waverly’s bed, head falling off the side. “Any five things I could pursue in life.”

Waverly laughed, slumped on the carpet, leaning up against her closet door. They were separated, still giving each other space. It was unclear why Waverly had invited her over, if things had kicked into high gear again. They could be outlaws together.

“Oh no, only five?” Waverly joked. Nicole shot her a flipped look. “Sorry, sorry.”  Waverly made a sad attempt to stifle her giggling, remaining sincere.

“We can’t all have a billion passions and interests and friends.” Nicole said, too bitter.

Waverly pushed herself up, still looking at Nicole.

“Let’s think: drug dealing, injury prone, gay disaster?” Waverly’s face cracked open. “You just have to spin it in a more positive light. I see: entrepreneurial, medically knowledged, LGBT youth clinician.” She threw her arms up. “Bring on the Ivies and scholarships! Who wouldn’t want Nicole Haught at their university?”

Nicole threw a crumpled up post-it at her.

“You are an asshole.”

She perfectly intercepted the pass. Maybe _Waverly_ should take up varsity basketball.

“And you still need two more interests.”

They locked eyes. Nicole’s were still a little bloodshot, the amount of sleep she was getting remained at unhealthy levels. Waverly couldn’t help but notice how deep and pure the colors were, even on four cups of coffee. The moment stilled to a crawl and Nicole could hear her clock refusing to tick forward.

Of course this was coming.

“You are pretty, Waverly.” Nicole said, so quiet it was barely audible. “Of course you are.”

She smiled, that terrible smile. Nicole felt herself move one day closer to total annihilation. The end of all of this was so plain and obvious, she could taste it.

“Are we friends again?” Waverly asked, “You’re being too nice to say no right now.”

She nodded.

If friends felt this way about each other, Nicole never had a friend before in her life. Just over this valley was a minefield, God only knew which bombs were still active. In the moment though, Nicole felt so much love her heart might have burst and sprayed blood all over the fuzzy white carpet.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haven't we all had a friendship like that? lmao
> 
> please leave comments if you can! they make the new stuff come faster!!!


	4. 444444

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEASON 3 ANGST PARTY

\--

 

The rumor did not peter out like Waverly would have hoped. Instead her moment of weakness continued to haunt the both of them, laughing as it went from classroom to classroom, growing in its size and scope. The conversation had taken place the day after their incident in the barn, Waverly finding her emotional outlet in Champ. He was good for that sort of thing as he barely ever listened to what Waverly was saying; it was kind of like screaming into a pillow. Of course, the one time Waverly should lie, and lie with malice, happened to be when his ears were perked.

Waverly’s anger had festered over night and every time she backed away from that ledge, the rage only seemed to multiply within her. Her arms were shaking like they sometimes did, her hair was frizzing, she was breaking out: all signs that a storm was coiled within her, ready to drench someone. That someone became Champ. Thinking back, Waverly couldn’t even say when she decided to lie, or why. There wasn’t a clear moment in her head. She had screamed at Wynonna which did nothing, her older sister simply meandered her way upstairs after twenty minutes of unmitigated fire. There was no promise to really stop for real this time, there was no apology, there wasn’t even really an acknowledgement that anything bad had happened at all. The only problem for Wynonna seemed to be that she got caught. This got Waverly even more pissed off.

And then there was Nicole’s part. After all, it takes two to barter.

“I’m never gonna speak to her again.” Waverly said, firm and unshakeable. “That’s for sure.”

Champ was on his phone, scrolling through what could have been Tinder. Waverly might have noticed this another day but kept her eyes focused out. Champ was barely even there. They sat on the couch in the living room where she and Nicole had talked not even 24 hours earlier.

“Uh huh.”

Waverly sniffed, the affect of her rage not sinking in. Bad thoughts approached. Where was the righteous anger from her boyfriend? She felt very powerless all of a sudden. She’d been hurt by a girl, this complete mess, after how many attempts to break through? How many trials would she have to withstand to make it past Nicole Haught’s outer walls? It barely seemed worth it if she couldn’t respect the unspoken boundary of ‘don’t sell drugs to immediate family’. The idea of Nicole slinking back onto her property in the middle of the night, just to deceive her, it made Waverly’s stomach turn.

The Earps had plenty of history with home intruders.

So Waverly started thinking; what would really hurt her back?

Then those same bad thoughts started to seem like good ones. Of course Waverly _knew_ what could hurt her back, what could really burn her. She saw it every time they talked. When the lie did finally emerge from her, she was proud of it, proud of the Wynonna-like action of deviance and revenge. Don’t fuck with my family or you’ll get fucked back. There was some power to seize in that.

Champ, of course, saw an opportunity to ruin someone he hated and ran with it as far as he could. He was already texting the false information before he left Earp land. There was no time for a correction, no time for take backs.

And Waverly did want to take it back.

As the hours dropped by that night, she started feeling sicker and sicker. Waverly remembered the fear in Nicole’s eyes when she asked about her sexuality, like a cornered mouse accepting its death. She’d exploited that fear without a second thought. When she started to cry, sick with worry, she almost called Nicole but couldn’t quite manage it. Everything was coming too fast. Wynonna knocked on her door at one point, genuinely concerned but Waverly didn’t want to see her. Wynonna only made her think of the rats nest she’d gotten herself into.

“I was just so angry.”

Nicole didn’t blow up like Wavery expected her to. Maybe she was too tired to react. Or maybe she didn’t care. Nicole already lived in a state of social death, one more rumor couldn’t be so destructive, like setting off fireworks in a recently bombed city.

In fact, Nicole almost seemed relieved, like they were even now. Eye for an eye and all of that.

“Yeah, I kinda feel better about all of it.” Nicole admitted later at the homestead. They had ordered Dominoes (the nearest store took nearly an hour to deliver but the terrible greasiness made the wait worth it) and were continuing down Wynonna’s rabbithole of action schlock. This one had Sylvester Stallone. “Like, significantly less shitty then I did the past week.”

Waverly took a bite of pizza.

“Well, I feel really shitty.” She said, looking at the tv screen. “Like I might throw up.”

Nicole nodded.

They had more distance between them this time, lessons learned. Waverly was in the lounge chair, a little stiff. Nicole sat on the sofa, half paying attention, half focused on the girl across from her. She had tried over the past couple hours to summon a kind of rage that matched the intensity of Waverly’s betrayal but nothing came. The space in between them was a buffer zone, keeping things clean and easy. Nicole assumed Waverly knew about her crush, otherwise she wouldn’t have chosen to lie about it. She went for blood when provoked, that was obvious enough.

Waverly on the other hand was stuck with the guilt of nearly getting a friend killed, for the second time. What remained was the associated shame of still technically being involved with the guy trying to fuck her up. Waverly couldn’t imagine any of Champ’s threats were serious, but five months ago she never would have imagined all of those jocks she considered friends breaking three of Nic’s ribs in a violent rage. So now she took him at his word.

“Aren’t you angry at me?” Waverly asked, finally turning to look at Nicole.

She shook her head.

“You should be angry.”

Nicole shrugged.

No one made any jokes as they watched this time, and the violence onscreen seemed crueler.

“After I told him, he got the ugliest look in his eyes.” Waverly said, turning back. Nicole kept looking at her, deliberately holding gaze.

Nicole exhaled, tired. “Well, can you explain it?”

“Explain what?” Waverly asked.

“Well,” Nicole started, feeling that she’d earned the right. “You’re still _with_ him.” She set her half-eaten slice down on the coffee table. “And this isn’t the first time he’s done something fucked up.”

An explosion went off on screen and Waverly flinched.

“I think you’re gonna find my excuses pathetic.” She said, wry grimace on her face.

Nicole laughed. This was good, this was comfortable. “Try me.” She said, switching the volume down a few notches.

Waverly paused. Nicole had changed into sweats and had her hair pushed back out of her face for once. She looked adorable when she wasn’t consumed with panic and fear. Those same feelings emerged over and over again. Sure Waverly had never kissed a girl before but it’s not like she’d never thought about it. Waverly knew herself well, there were only so many times one could have those kinds of feelings around female friends without it being obvious. It used to worry her when she was younger but by her freshmen year, Waverly knew she wouldn’t ever have to tell anybody about it. She’d find a nice guy, not like Champ, a good guy and fall in love and marry him and never have to think about what kissing a girl even felt like. Out of sight, out of mind.

With Nicole, it was a pretty difficult task to do either.

Was there a part of Waverly that focused in on _that_ part of the lie? The part the involved Nicole Haught kissing her on the lips. Maybe, maybe not. It was the cherry on top of a terrible sundae.

Maybe she’d wanted Haughtshit to kiss her.

Nicole was staring at her, expectant.

“You know when you want some gum, but you only have one piece left?” Waverly started.

Nicole blinked.

“And even though there’s only one, you just start in chewing on it?”

“Is this gonna be really convoluted?”

Waverly shook her head. “Shh!” She continued, “You’re chewing this piece of gum and it’s like, nice for a while.” Waverly mimed chewing. “Not the most incredible piece of gum in the world, but it’s very good for what it is.”  

Nicole nodded. “I’m lost.”

Waverly made a noise. “Nicole Haught. Let me finish!”

“Okay! Okay!” She surrendered, smiling softly. A smile that burned a hole in the pit of Waverly’s stomach.

“After a bit, the gum starts to lose its flavor…” She paused, “Okay, then it’s really lost its flavor and you’re just sucking on this disgusting, bland silly putty _but_ ,” Waverly held up a finger, “you keep chewing the gum. Because that’s just what you do.” She sat back, sighing loudly. “And then you chew this piece of gum for a year, and then two, and by then it’s really disgusting.”

Nicole raised her eyebrows.

“And then let’s say the gum commits minor assault-!”

“I think I get it.” Nicole said, holding onto her laugh. It was kind validating to hear Waverly talk about her boyfriend that way. “Champ’s the gum. ”

Waverly lost her gaze again, drifting back down to the floor. There were a couple of ants desperately moving towards the box on the table. “Things just start to feel routine,” She said, “and then you don’t know how to break out of it.”

Nicole hummed. “I think I know how to break out of it.”

Waverly bit her lip.

“He’s not worth you, Waverly.” Nicole said, huffing. “He’s not even in the same ballpark. You, for starters, are like a decent human being.”

“Really?” Waverly gave a bitter laugh, “Cause I thought I was the girl who put somebody in immediate danger just because she was pissed off.”

“Well, you’re that too.” Nicole answered.

Waverly put her head in her hands.

“I’m not sure I’m even capable of breaking up with him.” She moaned, “It’s like I’m under a curse.”

“The Earp curse?” Nicole asked, teasing. “I didn’t know it was so literal.”

Waverly rolled onto the floor and let out a long sound. Her face was smushed into the carpet.

“I need to break up with him.”

Nicole nodded.

“Yeah.”

Sylvester Stallone shot a guy through the head.

Waverly turned to face Nicole. “Did he ever tell you why he did it? I mean, what happened in July.” She asked.

Nicole took another bite of pizza.

“Nope.” She said, lying.

 

\--

 

When Waverly did break up with Champ later that week, Nicole was swarmed within minutes, people asking if her lesbian obsession had driven the couple apart. Her answer (no) did nothing to dissuade them.

“I don’t know or care to know anything about Champ and Waverly.” Nicole answered, pushing past strangers who normally wouldn’t give a second glance. Inside, of course, Nicole’s heart was going a million miles per hour.

She’d actually done it.

Nicole entered her Bio lab with a hidden smile.

 

 

Waverly knew she and Champ were a well liked couple around school, it was hard to ignore. She was, however, in no way prepared for the volume of whispers and weird threatening stares sent her way as she walked to fifth period.

Chrissy gave her a look as they found their usual seats.

“I’m impressed.” Chrissy said, “I didn’t think you could do it.”

Waverly’s grin bubbled.

“You know,” Chrissy said, “I think that Nicole Haught is having a positive effect on someone for the first time in a while.”

Waverly stopped for just a minute, holding onto a thought.

“Yeah.” She said, “I think you’re right.”

Chrissy flipped open her notes, a knowing look painted on her face. “Kiss or no kiss.”

Waverly blushed.

 

 

“You spit out your gum.”

Nicole found Waverly later by the gymnasium. Nicole wouldn’t usually show up on the indoor courts, associated memories, but she’d been texted around lunch to meet at five, after the group cheer practice. Sure enough, Waverly had hung around the girl’s washroom. Bad history was smacking Nicole in the face. So much time spent in this room after games.

Waverly smiled, sitting on the bench in the center aisle. “Not so pathetic after all.” She hadn’t changed out of her uniform, it was a little distracting but Nicole was trying to remain professional. This wasn’t a hookup after all, she was checking on her friend after a messy breakup. Very casual. Then again, why would Waverly have kept on the uncomfortable cheer outfit on instead of just changing back? All her fellow teammates had enough time to change and clear out, but Waverly hadn’t even started. It seemed a little suspicious.

“Nice outfit.”

“I’m trying to sneak out.” Waverly explained, “He, uh, he was circling around the buildings earlier.”

Nicole exhaled. “What a creep.”

“Yeah.” Waverly said, “What a big, dumb, fucking creep.” There was some desperation in her voice. Desperate for what, Nicole didn’t know. “He’s always been a creep.”

“How are you doing?” She asked, sitting down next to Waverley. They weren’t quite touching but it was close enough to make her breath a little shallow. The uniform was more of a bathing suit than actual clothing.  “You seem… tense.”

“Yeah.” Waverly gripped the bottom of her bench. “I feel a little tense.” She paused, “I didn’t expect it to feel so good. It was a little scary how good it felt.”

Nicole’s smile broke out and Waverly laughed.

“Try to contain your excitement, Haught.” Waverly said, hiding a blush.

Nicole buffered. “What about Champ? How was he?” She asked. There was more than a small part of her that was afraid about what Champ could do as a free agent. If all of those kids could make the connection between Nicole and Waverly, surely he could as well. The last thing she needed was some behemoth thinking she was trying to steal his girl.

Waverly sighed. “How do you think?” She asked, standing up and walking towards her locker. “Lots of begging, lots of accusing, lots of cussing me out.” She plugged in the combo and pulled out her towel. “I believe the word ‘cunt’ was thrown around once or twice.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped. “Nice.”

Waverly shrugged it off, flipping the pink around her shoulders. “He never really had a way with words.” She stopped, looking off to the public baths just beyond the row of lockers. There was an exposed decision somewhere on her face. “Hey,” She turned, “I was gonna shower but, would you wanna grab a bite somewhere?” Waverly asked, suddenly sheepish. “I seriously need a milkshake or I’m gonna start crying.”

Nicole’s smile started up again.

“Sounds good to me.”

Waverly liked the sight of a smiley Nicole, she almost looked like had when she first arrived in Purgatory, so much brightness within her. It was a shame that light had become so rare. Waverly straightened up and watched Nicole’s eyes dip down to her figure, wrapped in the rough cheer fabric.

They both caught each other staring. Nicole’s face got red.

“Great!” Waverly broke the silence, moving past her. “Lemme just stop smelling gross and we can go! There’s a great diner in town, I don’t know if you’ve been-!”

“Uh,” Nicole said, “do you want me to wait outside?”

Waverly spun back around, caught off guard. “Why?” She asked.

Nicole gestured to the shower.

“Huh?” Waverly asked, before getting it. “ _Oh_.”

They stood looking at each other, plummeting into silence again.

“I’ll only be a minute if-”

“I can load my bike up, if you’re driving.” Nicole started towards the door, brushing by Waverly. A second of contact. “I don’t want to, I mean…” Nicole trailed off again, looking at the showers. The idea of a naked Waverly less than twenty feet away from her wasn’t just bad, it was torturous. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Nicole.” Waverly started, moving closer.

“I’ll meet you in the student lot.”

And Nicole flew out the door, clutching her backpack like a life vest. Waverly didn’t go after her, a strange kind of warmth swirling inside of her.

God, Nicole was still so fucking nervous around her.

God, Waverly kind of enjoyed that.

 

 

“You’re gonna get me fat.” Waverly said, stuffing another three fries into her chocolate shake and then transferring them to her mouth. Waverly, so Nicole had noticed, has the small bad habit of talking with her mouth full. It was pretty much adorable. “First pizza, then shakes…”

“That’s been my plan this whole time.” Nicole was smiling, not eating much. She was on edge. Of course they came to _this_ diner. “You got me.”

“I keep thinking about going vegan.” Waverly was ravenous. “But then I couldn’t have milkshakes, you know? I’m not sure I’m ready for that.” She frowned. “Meat, I can do without.”

Nicole snorted, pushing food around her plate.

The place wasn’t very full, they probably would have gone to Shorty’s but their milkshakes were subpar and besides, now that Waverly was picking up shifts there on weekends, it felt a little weird to show up out of uniform.

“You really could have stayed, you know.” Waverly said, trying to catch Nicole’s gaze. “We all shower at the same time after meets. It’s no big deal.”

Nicole gave her a look.

“What?” Waverly exclaimed. “I’m trying to make it not-weird.”

“It’s not working.” She had a sip of her own strawberry shake. “Besides, _you’re_ the reason everybody thinks I’m obsessed with you.”

And you are, at least a little, the voice reminded her.

Waverly took a deep breath. “Which I still feel awful about, remember?”

Nicole’s eyes left the diner and drifted out beyond the window for the third time. They had a perfect view to the parking lot, the one this place shared with a Home Depot, the one Nicole was too familiar with. When Waverly had first pulled in, Nicole recognized the landscape immediately but didn’t want to make a scene.

Waverly doesn’t want to hear about your triggers, kid.

Nicole took another bite of her artisanally seasoned mac-and-cheese. Waverly had offered to pay and she wasn’t gonna turn that shit down. Not that she couldn’t afford diner food but every little bit helped.

“I know.” Nicole answered. “You shouldn’t. They already thought that stuff about me.”

Waverly inhaled quickly, something on her mind.

“Everything used to be so different.”

Nicole nodded. Of course it did. The parking lot beyond the window taunted her again. Nicole tried to think of the right thing to say but the only thing coming to her mind wasn’t good dinner conversation.

“Hey,” She started anyways, “you see that lot out in front of the Home Depot?” Nicole extended her hand and Waverly turned to the window. The light had begun to fail them but Waverly could still see the white streetlamps making noise in the dark. The lot didn’t have anybody inside it.

“Yeah, sure.” Waverly returning to the table, squinting at Nicole. “It’s a parking lot.”

“That’s, uh,” Nicole couldn’t back away, not anymore, “that’s where it happened. With Champ.”

Waverly’s eyes got big and she turned back, staring at the now interesting empty parking lot.

“What the fuck, Nicole.” She whispered, “You let me bring you here?” Waverly gestured to the eatery.

Nicole looked down.

“Well, they do have pretty good shakes.”

 

\--

 

“Nicole.”

July had been hotter than usual.

Champ had caught her by surprise that night, he wasn’t one of her usuals and besides that, she didn’t have any on her. She had a protocol. A system of selling shit the right way, so she could stay as far removed from crazy assholes as possible. Rule number one was always text first.

He only called her Nicole when he needed something.

“Champ.” She squinted up at him, sitting on the concrete base of a street lamp. Her stomach was already burning a little. Summer kept the sun out longer than usual but the sky was still dark by 11:30. Nicole had been resting her leg, she had just started riding her bike again and the freedom was astounding. Getting driven everywhere by her dad only added to the humiliation of never being able to play ball again.

“Got something for me?” He asked, smiling. Champ’s short tufts of hair created a halo, coated by the artificial light from above. The image made Nicole snicker internally. Champ may have passed for an angel with folks over 40 in town, but heavenly he was not. His buddies gathered around him. A few yards back, Nicole could see the van they surreptitiously drove around Purgatory, appeasing to the locals. “Got some friends are coming around, you could swap in. It could be fun.”

“I don’t take it.” Nicole said, standing up against the pole like a crutch. “And you know my rules.”

A few of his buddies got worried looks on their faces and whispered to each other. They must have really wanted some. Champ scoffed, keeping his cool. “I texted you, man, come on.”

“I never got it.” Nicole shrugged and turned away from him. She couldn’t tell if they were drunk but they didn’t seem wasted. Champ was never one to keep his state of being to himself, if he was out of control, she would have heard so by now. “Sorry.”

“Wait.” Champ grabbed her shoulder, a little too rough.

She brushed him off.

“Not now, Champ.” Nicole smiled. “Text me tomorrow and I’ll get you some.”

“Is this about what happened with Waverly?”

Nicole froze in place.

“Cause I think you’re overreacting.”

His friends went quiet. Nicole turned back to face him. Champ was too attractive sometimes, it didn’t fit his nature. Nicole wanted nothing more than to smack that obnoxious golden-boy smile right off his face. Fuck up his face to match the personality.

“I was just messing around with her, we’re dating. Get over it.”

“She was tanked, dude.” Nicole said, icy. “She was barely awake.”

The party had taken place a few weeks before, pre-senior year bash for all the juniors. This one actually happened at Champ’s, a rare thing. Nicole had come, trying to maintain normalcy but things had just gotten worse and worse. She’d remembered seeing Waverly, incoherent like she got when she was drunk, being led by Champ up to a quiet corner in the far side of the house.

Nothing seemed right.

Waverly was royally smashed, half conscious, and in no way able to consent. And there was Champ, layering kisses on her, running his hands up her body.

A gross feeling had started in her stomach. So she did something. Almost sure it was the right decision.

She’d followed them upstairs.

When she pulled Champ off of her, he was sputtering and cursing but too drunk to fight back. Waverly was dead asleep. Nicole had brought the unconscious girl down the flight and loaded her up in Waverly’s sedan, stealing the keys from her purse. She hadn’t been received at the Earp homestead, nobody home. So she simply set Waverly down on a couch and slipped the keys into the window visor. It was a hidden action, one she knew Waverly would never remember. One she didn’t want her to remember.

“I don’t know why you gotta get involved with shit that has absolutely nothing to do with you, you know?” Champ said, taking a few steps towards her. Now he was starting to make her nervous. The six or seven guys around him were suddenly dead quiet. “It’s one of the worst things about you.”

This wasn’t just a deal. That’s not what he wanted.

“I gotta go, Champ.” Nicole turned and started to run-limp. Her knee was killing her. “I’ll see you later.” Her heart was pounding. There was no way she could outrun them but her bike was still tied up around the rack outside Home Depot.

“Hey, Haughtshit, come on.” Champ called, his boys forming a ring around her. Nicole spun, he wasn’t smiling. “You didn’t tell Waverly about that stuff, did you?”

Pain shot through Nicole’s knee.

“Maybe I was considering it.” She said, like an idiot.

“Oof, bad thought.”

The undercut came to her stomach, fast and loud. Nicole crumpled.

“You’re actually not gonna tell her anything.”

She wasn’t all the way down, still on her hands and knees when the first blow came to her ribs. She could feel them shatter, it wasn’t an easy feeling. The shuffling of Nikes sounded around her but she couldn’t anticipate the hits as they came over and over again. There was definitely blood in her mouth and she tried to spit but couldn’t summon up the saliva. More kicks, more blood, more mucus flooding her nose. It was too humid to lose a fight this bad.

Then a momentary reprise, the kicks stopped coming.

Champ leaned down to lift her head back up.

“She’s not interested in you, Nicole.” He wrinkled his nose. “I’m not sure anyone would be interested in you.”

He let her face smack back down onto the concrete. Nicole felt woozy as someone else’s shoe connected with her windpipe and she could barely breathe.

“So if you’re trying to fuck her, might as well stop off here.”

The lightpost flickered. Classic Purgatory.

“Dyke.”

The whole thing couldn’t have lasted longer than five minutes. When Champ and his buddies did clear out, back into that ugly van, she lay there for a while longer before somebody came across her and called 911. Her breath came back in the form of strange EMT’s, loading her into an ambulance. Broken ribs, broken ribs.

 

\--

 

Waverly knew the story from there, it was the first part that still made Nicole nervous to tell. Like someone was listening to them. Waverly deserved to know all of it, but Nicole couldn’t bring herself to speak the words even as they played over and over again in her head. She’d told Waverly about the deal, about telling Champ ‘no’ and him turning on her. She hadn’t mentioned the party or driving Waverly home. That was stuck within her.

They’d walked Nicole’s bike over to the parking lot after dinner. It was still empty.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Her question shook Nicole out of memory. She was staring at the base of the lamppost which still had little bits of evidence littered around it. Tiny red marks that couldn’t be easily washed off, no matter how many times the Home Depot people had tried. The whole event been swept away. Nicole didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to drag herself back into the spotlight to take down the town hero. She’d be made a pariah all over again. There wasn’t going to be a trial, it took a month of coaxing for her parents to get the name ‘Champ Hardy’ out of her mouth.

“I don’t think I had your number.” Nicole muttered, being an asshole.

“Nicole.” Waverly was staring at her spot, frightened by the red that was still lingering. “I’m serious, we didn’t even talk, Champ said all of these things about it, about what happened. I never thought they were completely true but…” She gestured to a little indent in the post. “Was that your head?”

“No.” Nicole answered, smiling a little. “That was there before.” She knocked on her scalp twice. “I’m all dandy up here.”

Waverly didn’t smile.

“Okay, maybe not _all_ dandy.”

“You could have died.”

“Waverly-” Nicole was interrupted before she could continue.

“And there I was, walking to class with him every day.” Waverly said, backing away from Nicole. There were a few tears in her eyes, reaching the brink before Nicole could talk her done. “God, I’m… I’m terrible.”

Nicole shook her head. “It was complicated.”

Waverly laughed, her voice flooded.

“It wasn’t.” She said, moving further away. “I could have known, I could have tried harder to learn what happened.” Waverly rubbed her cheeks. “It was like I was trying not to know, trying to stay ignorant about it.”

Nicole kept shaking her head, whispering little ‘no’s’ under her breath.

“And then, I lied again.” Waverly said, “I said you kissed me.”

Nicole looked at her, tearing her face away from the dried blood.

“Why did I say that?” She laughed.

“I don’t know, Waverly.”

The lamppost emitted a humming sound, always reminding the two where they were.

“I do.” Waverly said, stepping towards her, suddenly resolved. All doubt had left her. “I know exactly why.”

“Waverly.”

And then she brought their lips together for just a second. One quick peck. Nicole stepped backwards, smacking her broken body against the lamppost. Both girls stared at each other, eyes desperate to pop out of their heads.

Waverly sniffed, wiping another tear away with a strange smile on her face.

“There, now it’s true at least.”

Nicole swallowed.

“What?”

“My lie.” Waverly said, turning away. “At least it’s true.”

Nicole considered that for a minute. The lamp buzzed.

“No.”

“Huh?” Waverly said, looking back.

“It’s still not true.” Nicole rubbed her mouth, Waverly’s gloss was flushed on her lips. “You said, that I kissed you. Not the other way around.”

They stared at each other some more. Then Nicole took two steps forward and crashed into her. Waverly kissed her back, hungry. Nicole’s lips were chapped but she tasted like ice cream. It was the kind of taste Waverly could get used to. Her hands clumsily went to Nicole’s side, who gasped on the contact. She wasn’t used to being touched like that.

Nicole felt so much, there was so much to be afraid of. Waverly was an even better kisser than she ever could have imagined but everything was wrong. She was crying, she was angry and sad.

They were standing over Nicole’s empty tomb. She couldn’t be a rebound.

Nicole broke the kiss, moving towards her bike and kicking up the stand.

“You’re upset about Champ. I’m sorry.” She whispered. “I should go.”

“No!” Waverly said, not quiet anymore, “This has nothing to do with Champ. I-”

“You’re tired.” Nicole said, firmly, not allowing herself the possibility. “You need to go home.” She took another long look at Waverly who didn’t say anything.

You will ruin this, you will end it.

“I’m sorry.” Nicole pulled herself onto the bike and ignored the pain in her knee. Riding away, she could see Waverly’s shadow splayed across the dark gravel.

 

 

Waverly got in her car and hit the steering wheel multiple times. The alarm started.

“Fuck!” She jumbled with the keys, trying to find the button that turned it off. It took her a minute of making everyone in a mile radius hate her, but she did get the car to go quiet. “Fuck.” Waverly said, more tears falling. “Fuck her. Fuck that.”

When did you let yourself get in this deep?

Waverly thought about Nicole and her stomach turned. She plugged the keys into the ignition and started the cars. Waverly wanted to kiss her again so bad. The multitude of keychains jangled against her leg. She pulled up her phone and pulled up Nicole’s contact. The phone rang for two cycles and then cut off. Nicole, of course, didn’t have a voice mailbox set up.

“Fuck.” She whispered, going to the text icon.

 

_**[SENT8:05P.M.]** Can we please talk?_

 

No answer. Five minutes went by. Nothing. She put the phone to her side and shoved away a few more tears. The drive home was slow, she didn’t play music.

Arriving at the homestead, her phone buzzed. Waverly’s heart jumped. She screwed up her passcode twice but got in. The only message awaiting her was:

 

_**[READ8:27P.M.]** _

Goddamn it.

Waverly wrapped her coat tight around herself.

Fuck.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh, our fucked up little kids. 
> 
> i actually briefly want to say how much ive loved the response to this story :) its very fun to write but additionally, you passionate folks are fun to write for! so thank you so much if you've left a comment!! it means the whole dang world


	5. 555555

\--

 

Nicole cut class the next day, but so did Waverly, which sent the rumor mill spiraling yet again. Waverly got texts from Chrissy, along with Champ and Steph and a myriad of other concerned friends, all asking her where she was. Champ hadn’t stopped texting her since the breakup. It was depressing, watching him switch from apologetic to angry to meek, using every trick in the book to get back into her good graces.

She left him on read, the same horrible tactic Nicole had used on her. Nothing burns like a ‘read at’, so she’d learned.

Chrissy’s texts weren’t angry but Waverly could tell she was getting nervous about Nicole’s presence in her life. Chrissy had always liked Haught, back when everybody liked Haught, but cut her off just as easy. When Nicole had spiraled, there wasn’t really a way for Chrissy to reach out. So she’d stuck with Waverly and Steph, stuck to the both of them and ignored the guilty feeling.

Haught had started to seem like a ghost they could all just forget about.

But when her dad came home one night with news about Nicole Haught in jail, shuffling drugs around Purgatory, she couldn’t quite stomach her dinner. Of course she’d heard whispers from Champ and his friends, but Haught always seemed too smart to let herself fall into that trap. She’d been hoping the rumors would prove to be just that, rumors.

Then the next day, she was suddenly buddy-buddy with Waverly. It all seemed suspect.

Though she hadn’t voiced this all in so many words to Waverly, Chrissy wasn’t completely against this reintroduction. If Nicole Haught could stand to be around her for more than five minutes, she’d welcome it. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous for Waverly to reassign herself to Haught’s quadrant. Breaking things off with Champ was already shaking things up enough, and with everybody still talking about Nicole as if she was a serial assaulter, Waverly appeared to be displaying symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome.

 

_**[SENT10:55A.M.]** waverly earp? skipping class? you MUST be in some shit... please call_

 

Chrissy’s text brought a small smile to Waverly’s face. She fired of a short response, letting her friend know she was alright. Waverly didn’t want to worry anybody, she just needed a moment to think.

And apparently so did Nicole.

 

_**[SENT **10:57** A.M.] **your bff isn’t here either. did something happen?_

 

Waverly raised her eyebrows.

 

_**[SENT **10:58** A.M.] **nicole’s not in class???_

 

There was a couple minutes without a response, Waverly knew she was trying to avoid getting caught in class. After a bit, she got this:

 

_**[SENT **11:02P.** M.] **nope. lovers quarrel? _

_**[SENT **11:03P**.M.] ** CHRISSY _

 

\--

 

She found Nicole out by the Purgatory town limits sign, sunk into the grass.

“Is there a tracking device on me?” She asked as Waverly stepped out of the car, her face full of worry. “This is uncanny.”

“You think I haven’t found out all the best spots to sulk?” Waverly looked tired, “Wynonna comes here after she gets kicked out of Shorty’s.”

Nicole bit her lip. The sign has seen better days, riddled with more than a few bullet holes. She assumed they’d resulted from weekend kids playing target practice but in Purgatory, one could never really tell.  Most people in Purgatory owned a gun, the Earps had multiples which put everything in perspective.

Waverly kicked at the dirt, frozen solid. Tomorrow was Halloween but the cool air made everything shiver like December.

“I texted you.” Waverly said, finally. “You didn’t respond.”

Nicole didn’t know what to say. She pulled the sweater tight around her body.

“I’m sorry.” Waverly took a step forward. Her engine was still running, creating a quiet ambience amongst all the silence. Smoke traveled up. “It was dumb, and it clearly made you upset. I don’t know why I did it.” Waverly was a bad liar, though it was unclear whether she was trying to convince Nicole or herself.

“Oh.”

Waverly’s hands were shoved in her jacket pocket, balled up into little fists.

“Oh.” She echoed.

Nicole pulled her aching body up out of the hole, her hair flopping in front of her eyes. Waverly gave a slight laugh, a weird kind of embarrassment burning up her insides. She felt that surge inside her, the same she felt in the Home Depot parking lot.

Waverly took another step towards her.

“Can we talk about this?”

Nicole dodged out of the way, stepping out onto the abandoned road.

Folks rarely drove out by Purgatory anymore, not unless they planned to stay. Waverly stilled, unsure what to do with the tension between them. The wind blew at them both, Nicole’s hair blocked her view again.

Why did you have to kiss her, you dumbass? Waverly’s mind consumed her.

“I heard it’s supposed to snow on Halloween.” Nicole said, trying to refocus. “Isn’t that crazy?”

Waverly didn’t respond. The sign creaked under the wind’s weight. She thought about Nicole, all broken-bodied and bloody, plastered to the gravel as Champ took a victory lap.

Nicole brushed the red from her eyes, looking to catch what Waverly had on her mind.

“I, uh, I need a haircut.” She said.

Waverly’s vision returned and she smiled softly.

“I’ll say.”

 

 

So they went back to the homestead and Waverly got out a pair of fine scissors that Wynonna kept extra sharp for home intruders. She wrapped a towel around Nicole and set newspaper on the ground.

“What are you thinking?” Waverly asked, “Just neaten it up?”

Nicole shook her head.

“Can you just…” She paused, practicing the words, “take it off?”

Waverly raised her eyebrows.

“All of it?” She asked, brushing around to look Nicole in the eyes. Waverly had always liked her hair, the fireball aura it provided, a kind of beacon. But Nicole nodded and Waverly wasn’t going to turn her down. “I’ll get daddy’s electric razor.” And she ran up the stairs before Nicole could change her mind.

The buzz of the old machine was nearly therapeutic. Nicole purred in unison against its metallic teeth and the feel of Waverly’s fingers in her scalp. Her nails were long enough to make a solid comb as Waverly picked through her locks, snipping and cutting at spots where the flames fought back against her. Nicole had been keeping her hair down past her shoulders but she went weeks between washings and longer between cuts. The mane was full of split ends and damaged follicles and greasy traps. Now they fell to the floors, mixing with the dust and paint chips. On every chunk that disappeared, Nicole felt a little lighter. The whole thing was like ripping off a band-aid, letting the wound breathe at last.

Waverly’s fingers brushed her ear and Nicole’s breath hitched.

The touch was driving Nicole crazy. No matter how firmly she denied it, so much of her wanted to make the same dumb mistake they had last night.

She was sitting in a big fuzzy armchair, not like any salon rig Nicole had ever seen. Waverly was at her back, the razor cord stretched across the living room quite precariously. More than once, Waverly over-extended her reach, killing the power, and had to make the run to the other side of the room to plug her device back in.

“We don’t have that many three-pronged outlets.” She explained.

Nicole didn’t mind and took the moments in between sessions to feel the work already done. Her stomach was rolling, the haircut was still a potential disaster at this point.

“You’re gonna look like Charlize Theron.” Waverly soothed, feeling her nerves. Her breath fell on Nicole’s neck and she tensed, already sensitive from the thousand little flakes of hair dusting them both.

“Uh huh.”

Nicole could feel Waverly smile. She was using an old makeup brush to keep Nicole’s neck clean. Waverly knew it was a bad idea to keep setting herself up for more and more contact with her crush (possibly, I mean, you did kiss her) but couldn’t realistically stop now.

Almost done anyways, she told herself.

They all used to cut each other’s hair as girls, the three sisters. Of course, Willa’s blade was always sharpest and hurt a little bit more than Wynonna’s but that wasn’t unusual. She cut hair like she’d cut Waverly down to size, simply and without fanfare, Willa got to the truth. She never had to look at a person long to understand what would make them bleed. Wynonna worked quickly, she’d be done before Waverly knew it. Waverly, however, took time with it and made sure you felt each loss as it occurred. There was nothing to take in vain.

Waverly explained this all as the razor clicked along, rowing across her head with a steady rhythm that kept them both in check. Nicole liked hearing about Waverly’s history, it kept her mind off of her present.

Wind blew through the cracks in their windows, the old Earp house was still drafty as hell. Nicole shivered.

“Waverly?” She asked, licking her lips, “Do you have any chapstick?”

Waverly paused, pulling the blade away.

“Probably in my purse,” she said, “need some?”

Nicole nodded and Waverly set her equipment down. She, of course, had pineapple flavored, organic chapstick that she special-ordered online. Waverly used some on herself before handing the tube over to Nicole. She ran it over her lips in one swift motion, soothing her cracked skin.

Her mouth was suddenly flooded with the same taste she’d held in her mouth not even twenty-four hours earlier. She rubbed her lips together and tried not to think about it.

“I’m almost done.” Waverly said, bringing a casual smile. “I think it’s gonna be super cool.”

Nicole tried to return the glance, keeping the chapstick in her sweaty palms.

“I hope so.” She said, Waverly’s taste still on her lips.

They got back on track and ran a few minutes in silence before Waverly flicked the switch back off.

“Ta-da!” She said, in a half-whisper.

Nicole’s hair was in a buzz, not a close shave, but close enough. The type that rewarded any hand that ran through it. And Waverly did, gently tangling her fingers up in Nicole. It had retained its reddish tones but the color was far less vibrant than before. If anything, the haircut emphasized Nicole’s strange beauty, stirring up more dangerous sentiment from Waverly.

She did look a bit like a ginger Charlize Theron, she thought.

Nicole gently pulled the towel off, trying not to shake the flurry of hair back onto the hardwood. She stood, looking right at Waverly.

“Well?” She asked, afraid to know.

Waverly gulped, suddenly nervous about what dirty thought might escape from her, and focused instead on bundling up the newspaper at her feet. She chose to keep her answer simple.

“There’s a mirror upstairs,”  She said, keeping her eyes on the ground, “if you want to look.” Nicole nodded, almost kneeling to help but ultimately deciding against it. She found her way to the upstairs bathroom. Waverly watched Nicole travel up the stairs, making sure she was gone before hitting herself in the forehead. “Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.” She muttered under her breath.

 

 

Nicole ran her hand over it and grinned. She felt clean for the first time in months.

“Damn.” She said.

“Do you like it?”

She turned and Waverly was standing in the doorway, unsure.

“I do.” Nicole nodded. “Really, I like it a lot.”

Waverly let out a breath, relief taking over. She started talking too fast, like she tended towards doing. “Guess I’ll put away the Elmer’s glue away then, huh? Emergency averted, right? I’ve never really done that style before and I hope it’s not too tight or anything. We can always try a different number guard. You don’t have to lie for my sake.”

Nicole put her hands up and Waverly gave a sheepish smile.

“Sorry.” She said, “I like it too.”

Nicole turned her attention back towards the mirror. “It’s like I’m like a different person.” She said, awestruck.

Waverly frowned. “I don’t think so.”

Nicole didn’t hear her and pulled some cash out of her wallet.

“Can I give you something for it?”

Waverly scoffed, “Oh please!” She said, pushing her hands away. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Come on.” Nicole insisted, pressing back against Waverly.

Waverly snatched the money out of her hands and tucked it back into the pocket of Nicole’s jacket, zipping it shut.

“I’m not gonna let you pay me.” She stated, very serious. There was a pause. “We’re friends, Jesus.”

“Friends?” Nicole repeated.

Waverly blushed, coloring in Nicole’s intentions.

“Well,” An idea came to her. “There is something you could do for me.” She said, moving towards her.

Nicole tilted her head.

“Oh?”

“Halloween.” Waverly said, “I’m uh, kinda looking for a date.”

She froze, mentally cursing herself out. Nicole’s eyes got big.

“Not a date,” She corrected. “I just need someone to hang out with me. My plans… fell through.” Wynonna had offered to spend the night with Waverly earlier that month, some drunk sisterly bonding was long overdue. However, at the last minute, Wynonna had hooked up a new guy (who insisted Waverly call him X) who could get her into some party in the city. “Wanna watch some bad horror movies and eat candy?”

Nicole smiled.

“Sounds like a damn good time.”

Waverly returned the favor.

“Great!” She turned and started downstairs but stopped herself almost immediately.

Nicole took another look in the mirror. Shit was sick.

“Hey,” Waverly started. “um, about yesterday.”

Nicole interrupted her before she could continue. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” She said, stifling the nerves that flared up. The nice thing to do is giving her an easy way out.

Waverly paused.

“Okay,” she said, careful, “but I’m not _worried_ about it, I just…” She trailed off, unsure of where to go.  

“Well, it didn’t mean anything, right?” Nicole asked, her eyes impossible to read. “You were just tired and upset and…”

Waverly felt her gut drop.

“Right?” Nicole said again. The silence was terrible. “Waverly?’ She asked, still waiting for a response.

“Right.” Waverly swallowed. “It didn’t mean anything.”

 

\--

 

Nicole biked to school the next day and got called a bulldyke once and just a regular old dyke two more times before the bell. By third period, Champ had already started calling her humpty dumpty which spread easy. She didn’t see Waverly all morning.

Nicole smiled, today was gonna be great.

 

 

Steph ruined things at lunch by reminding Waverly that she actually did have plans, or was supposed to. Stephanie was throwing _the_ party that night, the only party in Purgatory worth going to.

“You can’t miss it.” Steph said, allowing no counter. “Your social life is already disintegrating. You need to be there in the sexiest costume you own, Waverly Earp.”

Chrissy nodded.

“You should come, Waves.” She said earnestly, “It’ll be fun!”

Waverly had missed the last few events because of school or Wynonna or other things. Though Champ’s friends could be a chore, she did miss the parties. They could be fun in a very specific way.

“I just…” She looked over to where Nicole was sitting, still lonely. A few assholes said something cruel as they past and she rolled her eyes in response, forking another hunk of macaroni into her mouth. The stuff made Waverly shiver. “I kinda promised someone I would stay with them.”

Steph followed her gaze and landed on Nicole.

“Waverly.” Her voice dropped. “Really? The fuck-up?” She put her face in her hands, careful not to smudge her makeup. “Look, it’s very sweet that you’re being nice to her and everything, but she’s a weirdo and a creep and pretty much obsessed with you.”

“Obsessed is a strong word.” Chrissy said, trying to defuse tension.

Steph wrinkled her nose. “Aren’t you worried about,” She made a gesture, “leading her on?”

Waverly rolled her eyes.

“She knows we’re friends, Steph.” She said, “And Nicole is none of those things. Just because she can’t make a decent layup anymore, doesn’t mean she’s a terrible person.”

“Come to the party.” Chrissy interrupted, keeping her eyes on Waverly. “You need to take your mind off… everything.” She hit Waverly’s shoulder. “Champ isn’t gonna be there. Just friends.”

Waverly paused, leaning in. “Champ isn’t coming?” She asked. They had her attention.

“You honestly think I’d invite your ex?” Steph grinned. “Come on, girl.”

Waverly stole another glance at Nicole and they locked eyes. She gave a nervous smile and wave. Even at her height, Nicole could look so small when she was alone. The haircut still looked sexy by the light of day.

Waverly blinked twice. What the fuck?

Steph coughed. “Waverly?”

“Can I bring Nicole?” She asked, turning back to her friends.

They stilled.

“Of course!” Chrissy said after a moment, elbowing Steph as she tried to protest. “We love Nicole.”

Steph bit her tongue.

“Just remember,” Chrissy said, “It’s costumes only.”

 

 

“They want _me_ to come?” Nicole asked, shell shocked. “Why?”

“Your winning personality?” Waverly asked, copying down the homework. She had tried to slide the invitation casually into the end of English, where they’d resumed sitting next to each other. “Your copious amounts of hallucinogens? Your haircut? I don’t know, could be anything.”

“Waverly.” Nicole didn’t laugh.

Waverly smiled and shrugged.

“Look, Nic,” She poked her pencil into Nicole’s arm. “Steph invited both of us. And they really want you to come.”

“Everyone in that group hates me.” Nicole said, bluntly.

Waverly leaned in. “Maybe they don’t have to, huh?”

She thought on that for a minute. Waverly started to copy the other girl’s homework (Nicole usually forgot). After a moment, a bell rang, and people really started leaving.

“I’m not sure.” Nicole turned her attention back to Waverly, “It seems like disaster waiting to happen.”

Waverly finished the notes with an exclamation point and a smiley face. “Well, you should be used to those by now.” She handed the sheet over with a sick grin and stood. “Look, just be in costume at nine and I’ll drive you there. It’ll be fun.” Waverly looked over her shoulder at the clock on the wall. She was gonna be late. “A lot of these people are my friends, and…” She touched Nicole’s hand. “I want them to like you.”

Nicole frowned, still nervous but she nodded. Waverly jumped.

“Oh perfect!” She clapped, then becoming serious again, leaning down to Nicole. “And go to next period, missy. Mr. Johnstone is quizzing everybody on applied forces and you can’t take another zero.” She turned in a flurry.

“Waverly!” Nicole called and the Earp caught her eye again. “What should I wear?”

She smiled.

“Well, I was thinking about being a vampire.” Her eyes flashed. “Do with that what you will.”

Waverly Earp disappeared and Nicole was left wondering how she managed to worm her way back into these kinds of situations. And she was sure that whatever Waverly would be wearing, it wouldn’t be easy staying cool.  

 

\--

 

Nicole pulled a hoodie over her head and felt every ache throughout her body as it traveled down her torso. She still didn’t have much of a costume but had stopped by a gag store on the way back from school and bought a Nosferatu mask, from the movie. The thing was starch white and twisted, made of the especially cheap and sweaty kind of plastic they used for Halloween masks, the kind that stuck to your skin and refused to let go. Other than that, her black hoodie and jeans provided a good backdrop. Hopefully, she would fade into the shadows of Steph’s house.

Nicole ran her fingers over the texture and shivered. She didn’t believe in ghosts or demons, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared of them sometimes.

There would probably be a lot to drink at this party and a lot of bad decisions being made.

Nicole slipped a few baggies in her pockets and zipped them up, careful not to look conspicuous. Waverly would not be pleased if she discovered the shit Nicole had on her person but if she was _going_ to this party she might as well try to make something out of it.

Waverly had said Champ wasn’t coming, so there was that at least.

Her phone buzzed, it was Wynonna. She was in Calgary and needed a few hits. Apparently all of her regular dudes were busy with the Halloween rush. Nicole understood, she had received more than a few texts over the past couple days but was too busy to see any of them through. This was her life now, consumed with human drama. The days where she could spend a whole afternoon pushing in the city were far away. Nicole’s supplier was behind her again, now that Nedley had backed off and she only had a few more therapy sessions left. None of this had been mentioned to Waverly. She’d probably make Nicole flush her batches down the toilet like in a Quentin Tarantino movie.  

Nicole had learned her lesson with Wynonna and turned her down. She wouldn’t make that mistake again, not while she and Waverly were friends.

Wynonna sent back a series of enraged emojis and curse words that made Nicole smile. All that futile anger.

Before long, Waverly was flashing her lights outside of Nicole’s house. Her mom still was home, so Nicole kissed her forehead and promised to be safe and said she wouldn’t drink. The pockets of her coat jiggled.

She stepped outside and pulled on her mask.

“Jesus.” Waverly said, eyes wide. “That’s freaky as hell.”

Nicole shrugged, unable to really see much through the slant eyes of the costume.

“It’s okay.” Waverly smiled. “You look scary, that’s the whole idea, right?”

Like Nicole had promised, flakes of snow were starting to fall through the air. Supposedly the storm would peak around three AM and then die down by morning. Still, the drive back to the homestead would be treacherous.

 

 

They were some of the last people to arrive, not actually getting to Steph’s until ten. The party was already in full swing and people were losing their minds. Waverly entered first, garnering cheers from her friends who were still sober enough to notice her costume. Nicole slunk in, unrecognizable to most. The mask hid her well.

Waverly’s outfit was beautiful of course. Her makeup creating the effect of sunken eyes, pale white skin, bloody lips and two perfectly placed bite marks on the neck, little trails of red marching down her collarbones. She paired that with a deep cut of black, in a kind of velvet material, with a break in the skirt running all the way up her leg. When she opened her mouth to smile or greet someone, Nicole could spot the two shining teeth applied on top of her own canines, sharpened to a point.

Nicole stared hard, ‘cause who could tell through the mask? Apparently Waverly noticed, winking and bringing her a beer.

“I don’t really drink.” Nicole said in a muffled tone, taking the bottle anyways. Her face was flushed, from the heat of the party or maybe from Waverly’s low neckline, exposing all kinds of things.

“Okay.” Waverly brushed some hair behind her ear, playing casual, “I’m just saying, you’ll probably have a bit more fun if you do.”

Nicole looked around at all of the people who she used to be friends with.

“I don’t think they know who I am.” She whispered, sending Waverly’s gaze traveling the room as well. “Or maybe they’re too drunk to care.”

Waverly turned back to her and flashed her toothy smile. “Nobody cares, Nic.”

She took a long drink.

The music was so loud and Nicole’s mask didn’t seem to block out any of the sound. If anything, the beat seem amplified by her rubber hiding place, the low notes crept inside and bounded from wall to wall.

There were three major sections of Steph’s party: the dance floor, which was the living room but now had speakers blasting bass-heavy pop music; the kitchen, which had alcohol and food and people doing shots; and the lover’s corner, which had one or two couples trading in and out of various locations, hands on asses and tits, nobody making any sound. Other than that, people were spread and talked and boozed wherever they could. Everybody had a drink in their head and everybody’s face was exposed.

Except for Nicole.

Nicole kept her mask on tight and enjoyed her anonymity. Waverly left her for periods of gameplay with Steph and Chrissy. Nicole would stand at the wall and watch as her classmates made worse and worse decisions. A group that might have usually been joined by Champ was trying to light hairspray just outside, melting the snow that had already accumulated.

She sold them all a few dozen hits and told them not to do anything stupid. The boys cheered.

The night got deeper.

“Dance with me?”

Waverly had found her again, Nicole’s mask was still pulled over her face. She nodded.

With nobody knowing who Nicole was under the face of Nosferatu, she could pretty much do whatever without fear. Waverly pulled her right into the middle of the crowded living room and if the music possibly could have gotten louder, it did. The speakers were pointed directly at the two of them. Nicole could barely see Waverly’s face as she moved to the rhythm of a song she’d never heard of.

She did feel Waverly though. Nicole felt her hands traveling around her waist and pulling her ever closer. It was a good feeling and a scary one. Waverly’s hands somehow found her pressure points under all the fabric Nicole had on. She had secret knowledge, which made her movements that much more flirtatious.

Nicole figured she should reciprocate the touch and started dancing back and forth. She was not a good dancer, her hips were awkward and her hands didn’t know where to fall but she did try and Waverly laughed sweetly. Waverly, of course, was an incredible dancer and flowed like honey dripping off a spoon. Her movements were fluid and controlled at the same time, and she never broke eye contact with the mask, meaning she never broke eye contact with Nicole.

Nicole wondered if anybody was guessing at who Waverly Earp would be dancing with that way, with that kind of expression on. Her insides were flooded with heat every time the brushed up against each other, Waverly was too good a performer for Nicole to last much longer this way.

After a few minutes Waverly was pulled away by Steph, flushed with booze.

Nicole was left alone, even less sure of what to do with her body. She stepped out onto the porch and a had a sip of water. The snow was getting angry and melted into her hoodie.

Waverly had been doing shots with Steph and a few other friends. Earps held their liquor well but that didn’t mean Waverly couldn’t get smashed easy. Returning inside, Nicole was worrying about that when she bumped into Chrissy.

“Woah, dude.” She said, nearly running Nicole over. “You are terrifying. Is that B-Train under there?”

Nicole shook her head and felt the mask jiggle around. For a moment, she pulled up the white plastic and gave a quick smile.

“Haught?” Chrissy’s jaw dropped. “Holy shit. You actually came.”

“I know.” She said, “I can’t believe it either.” Nicole took a deep breath, welcoming the cool air.

“That mask is twisted.” Chrissy said, taking a sip from the mixed drink in her hands. She wasn’t too wasted. As the sheriff's daughter, she had to know how to fake her sobriety. Chrissy was wearing the classic ‘black cat’ outfit, the shorts ran impossibly high. “But pretty cool.”

Nicole nodded and started to move away, resuming her form, but Chrissy grabbed her arm.

“Oh no, Haughtshit.” Chrissy pulled them closer. “You aren’t getting away that easy.”

Nicole smiled, nervous. “What?”

“You can’t just angst around in the corners all night.” Chrissy said, being genuine. “Waverly wants us to get to know you better, you know, we have everything be ‘hunky dory’ and all that.”

Nicole stared at her.

“Come on, hang out with us! We’re gonna play truth or dare.”

Oh, a great idea.

 

 

As Nicole was the fresh blood, everyone was dying to ask her a question or dare her to do something stupid. First off, Chrissy prepared her a shot in one of the solo cups and as she was dared, Nicole couldn’t really say no. It was just one shot, but Nicole was a lightweight, especially compared to the old Purgatory blood. Chrissy sat down next to her, real protective-like.

The shot went down fiery and felt good, really good.

“Okay.” Nicole’s mask was in her lap now, and she was sure that her cheeks were bright red. A few of the people who hadn’t seen Nicole’s hair that day were awestruck. “Okay.” Sitting around the circle were people Nicole knew, friends of Waverly, and a few that she didn’t. There couldn’t have been more than ten or fifteen but Nicole’s counting skills were severely inhibited. She decided to go for an easy choice and turned to Steph. Steph had never liked her, she’d always gotten that sense. Nicole was an infringing presence on her order. “Steph. Truth or dare?”

Steph found the game pretty childish but played along.

“Dare.”

Nicole smirked. The rules of the game were fairly simple. If you failed to answer truthfully or complete the dare to the best of your ability, you had to take a shot. The shot _being_ the dare for Chrissy’s to Nicole, there wasn’t really an option. Some might call that cheating, but this was Steph’s house and she ruled it fair game.

“Trade your gum with someone in the circle. No hands.”

There were some nervous laughs. That was a good dare, it was clever. Chrissy tapped Nicole’s foot, an approving smile on her face. Nicole tried to catch Waverly’s eye but she was looking at Chrissy in anticipation.

Chrissy kissed a rando (Nicole thought his name was Jeremy, he didn’t look thrilled) and he proved the game by opening his mouth and exposing the gum left over. Everybody cheered.

A few rounds went without interest and Nicole started to space until Waverly got picked, she chose truth, God knows why. The asker was a stranger to Nicole, maybe not to Waverly. He had an ugly smile.

“Is it true Haughtshit kissed you?”

Nicole’s heart popped and Chrissy grabbed her shoulder.

Waverly didn’t blink, she locked eyes with Nicole for a moment before turning back to the douchebag.

“Champ made that up, Connor.”

“That’s not what I heard.” Connor pressed.

Waverly gave him a hard look. “Well, you heard wrong.” Nicole stayed so very still.

“Come on, Waverly, don’t lie.” Connor turned to Nicole, he was drunk. “Take the shot or leave.”

“No follow ups.” Chrissy cut in, establishing herself as referee, just like her dad. “Come on, there a rules, people.” She gestured to Waverly. “It’s you.”

Waverly Earp had been watching Nicole when she could, just watching and seeing how she took in all of it. Nicole almost always seemed out of place, but it was especially true among these kinds of people. Waverly knew Nicole had been lying to her the other night; how could she not know why Champ did what he did? Nicole was lying to protect her from something, but Waverly hated being lied to.  

There wasn’t an easy way to force that kind of information out of anybody.

“Nicole.”

Nicole tilted her head.

“Yeah?”

The whole room was got quiet, though the pounding feet in the other room did seep through the walls, it was still the quietest it had been all night. And that was enough to make Nicole worry her heartbeat could be heard.

“Why did Champ _really_ jump you last year?”

She actually heard gasps. Everybody in the room had their eyes on Nicole. Nicole held a small smile, of course Waverly would ask her now, when she couldn’t say no. That Earp was too smart for her own good.

Nicole reached into the center and picked up a shot, draining it in one go.

Everyone booed.

Waverly’s eyes told Nicole everything she needed to know. Disappointed and impressed. And it was just about then that Champ came through the front door, uninvited.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the party pt. 2 is coming next week!!
> 
> my only thoughts on the ep from the other night are: i love characters who fuck up and have to fix their own mistakes. as both nic and waverly have fucked up in the past couple episodes, i look forward to seeing them having to work for their love and stuff! idk i'm kinda psyched to see where they go with this :) 
> 
> plus HAH! everybody who said waverly was incapable of doing something fucked up! they're both just kids in circumstances that none of us can relate to. but i do understand why some people are upset. i just think we should let the story play out before making conclusions!! i am love waverly earp even if she did mess up. i am love nicole haught even though she messed up and is now being eaten by widows.


	6. 666666

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that ep killed me dang.

\--

 

Champ wasn’t wearing a costume. Nicole spotted him immediately, only visible through a half open kitchen door. “Oh shit.” She said, setting the shot glass down.

Chrissy turned, following her gaze. “Oh shit.”

Champ’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes looked a little glazed over, like he’d already been drinking before setting out for Steph’s house. He hadn’t appeared to have changed from what he was wearing at school. He took a few steps through the threshold and some of his buddies cheered. Chrissy grabbed Nicole’s shoulder.

“Come on, Haught.” Someone said, bringing her attention back to the circle. “Your turn.”

Nicole blinked once and then stood, knocking over some plastic cups as she gripped a table to stabilize. “I think I should go.”

The sitters rolled their eyes collectively and started whispering. Waverly looked up at her, eyes dark. Nicole was walking out on her shot. She shuddered, glancing back at Champ. Waverly had really wanted this to work but everything about the setup felt wrong. These people did not like her, they did not care about her. Nicole could no doubt play the mule for them, but being their friend? That was a tougher ask. She pulled the mask back down over her head, slipping through the back doorway, away from Champ and Stephanie Jones and all the other creeps in that circle. She felt a kind of pressure lift, back inside of Nosferatu.

“Wait.” Waverly said, following her out of the room. There were a few more sniggers and stray comments as Waverly left. “Stay a minute. Let me get you a drink.” They emerged from the kitchen into a hallway, completely alone except for a passed-out stranger lying on the stairwell. Nicole frowned at the safety discrepancy. It was dark in the hall, with the only available light escaping out of the kitchen and living room. Just behind them was a small doorway which could have been a bathroom.

“I told you, I don’t drink.” Nicole insisted.

Waverly’s gaze hardened. “You were certainly willing to take a few shots just to get out of telling me what really happened.” She folded her arms. “So forgive me for doubting.”

“Come on.” Nicole’s breath was hot on her own face; the mask sealed in it in like a greenhouse gas. “You knew I wouldn’t answer.”

“With a little applied pressure, I was hoping you would.”

“Waverly-”

Before Nicole could continue, Waverly lurched forward and pulled the costume piece from her head, plunging her back into the cool air. “Christ, Nicole.” Waverly muttered, folding the sweaty plastic over in her hands. It was just then that Nicole noticed her nails, which had been sharpened to fine points to match the costume. Both girls were monstrous. “Where did you get this thing, it’s horrifying.” Nicole didn’t say anything. “I can’t take you seriously with it on.”

Nicole felt her cheeks get hot again. “Sorry.” She said.

Waverly’s looked back at her. “No, it’s fine.” She traced the cutout eyes with her murder nails, “I just wanted to see your face.”

Nicole, sure that she was all sweat-glazed and bloodshot, couldn’t imagine why. “It doesn’t matter what happened with Champ.” As she shifted her weight, Nicole was struck by how bad her knee was hurting. It was a sign; ‘abandon all hope ye who enter here’.

“Of course it does!” Waverly said, desperate. Her voice got low. “Was it about me?”

Nicole shook her head.

She tried again. “Please! If you took that beating because of me, I need to know.”

“It was because of a lot of things.” Nicole answered, revealing nothing. She was starting to feel the affects of her consumption rate, while Waverly stayed as sharp as ever thanks to all that strong Earp blood. “I said I wouldn’t tell anybody, Champ told me not to tell anybody.”

“Nicole.” Waverly’s voice was getting tighter and tighter.

“So I’m sorry.” Nicole said, harsh, “if I was just a little freaked out.”

The hallway led straight down to the main floor, with a series of doors leading in and out. The pair wasn’t really well hidden, talking about hazardous things where anybody could wheel through. Out of the corner of her eye, Nicole could see her classmates’ bodies moving to the music, half-crazed. It made her cringe.

“Are you keeping Champ’s secrets now?” Waverly asked, unrelenting. Nicole could feel the fear and the anger in her voice. “Some kind of deal that got fucked up?”

“No.” Nicole said, trying to end the conversation but Waverly wasn’t satiated.

“Then what?” She asked.

Nicole went silent again.

“Nicole!”

“You don’t want to know this stuff!” She exclaimed.

“Do you know how often other people decide what I do and do not get to learn about my own life?” The mask was twisting wildly under Waverly’s grip, cheap paint cracking. “Too often.”

Nicole looked back down the hall, trying to come up with an answer before locking eyes on Champ’s form, recognizable even in the dark. Her voice caught in her throat. It was definitely him, even in the low light that was obvious. What remained unclear was whether or not Champ had spotted her. He was standing just outside the long hall, waiting in a doorway. Nicole swayed slightly, feeling more exposed than ever. “Okay, I’m feeling freaked out again.”

“Are you kidding?” Waverly said, trying to regain Nicole’s attention.

“Champ.”

Waverly scoffed, not looking. “Champ’s not here, he wasn’t even invited.”

“He’s right over there.” Nicole pointed and Waverly followed the line of sight until she landed on her ex.

Her eyes grew wide. “Oh fuck nuggets.”

Usually, that kind of exclamation was enough to make Nicole laugh but she kept herself quiet, reaching again for the mask that was proving to be her savior. Waverly pulled her hand away, still staring at Champ. He had a bottle of something locked in his hand.

“If he sees me here, he’ll flip.” Nicole said, half silent. “Give me the mask.”

Waverly nodded, but held onto it, unwilling to see Nicole disappear.  

“Waverly.”

Suddenly, Waverly’s hands were on her own and Nicole was being pulled backwards through the doorway she’d noted earlier. The murder nails were digging into the flesh of her arm, leaving marks that would last for weeks. The door slammed shut behind them and what little light they’d had in the hall was completely gone. However, even in darkness, Nicole could tell this was a bathroom. She felt the familiar smoothness of a sink bowl against the back of her thigh and was certain of the slight smell of vomit in the air. Waverly didn’t take long to find the light switch, reaching over Nicole’s shoulder with expert aim. She must have stayed in this house hundreds of times, Nicole realized.

The brightness made them both squint.

“Stephie promised he wouldn’t come.” Waverly said, dumbfounded.

Nicole sighed, “I doubt she knows.”

“Shit!” Waverly said, putting her hand on her forehead. “You got an invite and he didn’t. He’ll be pissed as all hell.” Nicole nodded. Waverly reached past her again and clicked the little switch on the doorknob, locking them both in. An idea came to Waverly and she smiled, relieved. “I’ll text Chrissy,” she said, “Maybe she can distract him and you can sneak out.” She reached for her phone, stopping midway when she realized it was still in her purse on the kitchen counter where she’d been pouring shots before truth or dare had even started. Waverly cursed again.

“Or not.” Nicole said.

Waverly closed the toilet lid and sat down, trying to think of something else.

“I guess we could just wait in here til he leaves.” Nicole offered.

Waverly moaned. “When did this become such a mess?”

Nicole shook her head, leaning against the bathroom wall. “I wish I could tell you.”

The Jones' bathroom was, in addition to being kind of small and overly lit, covered with tiny clay frogs. These frogs were somewhat of a theme throughout the house but seemed especially concentrated in this first-floor bathroom. There were frogs on the rim of the sink; a frog butler holding out a roll of toilet paper; a green soap dispenser with a little plastic frog gripping the straw in the middle; a frog shower curtain with multiple frogs displayed across its plastic sheen; frog towels; frog shampoo/conditioner; and if you looked closely at the tiles on the floor, you could see the tiny frog faces peering back at you. _All_ of these frogs had big terrible eyes that were always looking. More than ever, Nicole felt like she was being watched. Mrs. Jones went a little crazy for those kinds of decorations. When she was much younger and she and Steph were first becoming friends, Waverly remembered having nightmares about the frogs, all coming to life and swarming her like one of the plagues of ancient Egypt.

The throbbing base of the music outside made the bathroom seem that much smaller. Waverly looked up at Nicole and stretched her hand out. “Do you want the mask back?”

Nicole looked down. “It’s fine.”

They resumed their silence and Waverly started bouncing her legs. After a few minutes of that, Nicole wiped some sweat from her forehead and exhaled.

“We can’t do this all night.” She said. “I’m gonna lose it.”

Waverly took in a steady breath.

“Well, take off your jacket at least.” She stood and stepped in towards Nicole who, for once, had nowhere to go. Waverly pulled the wooly coat from Nicole’s arms. “You must be burning up.” Waverly got the coat completely off, folding and laying it over the side of the bathtub, only to discover the hoody still shrouding Nicole. Waverly clicked her tongue and pulled at the bottom, asking to lift her arms.

“At least we know their heat is working.” Nicole joked, complying with the order but quite nervous. It was terrible, how naked she felt without a few layers on.

Waverly’s body reacted as she removed Nicole’s clothes. She bundled the black fabric up, not nearly as careful the second time and threw it in the tub. Nicole’s tee was basic and black but it was still something to see a little skin. Back when there were still basketball games to go to, Waverly remembered the Purgatory blue shining off Nicole’s pale skin, her arms long and toned. Blue always was her best color.

Nicole felt Waverly staring and burned even harder. “Where did you even find this dress?” She asked, turning the attention away from herself.

Waverly laughed.

“Oh this?” She did a little spin, bumping into the toilet bowl on the way around. “Used to be Willa’s, she left a ton of clothes around after she ran off.” The velvet shone in the bright light. “She’s always pissed when she visits and sees everything I’ve stolen from her closet.”

Nicole smiled and felt brave for a minute. She reached out and touched the silky gap in the fabric that lead up Waverly’s legs, swirling the cloth between her fingers. It was even softer than it looked. Her fingers, clumsy with drink, brushed against Waverly’s thigh.

She let out a small gasp in response.

“Sorry.” Nicole pulled her hand away. “It… looked soft.”

Waverly swallowed, sad to see Nicole’s hand trail away to her pocket.

“It’s okay.” She said, slowly. “It _is_ soft.”

They were so close to each other and Nicole’s breath started to grow heavy. The frogs were spying on them and Nicole’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to catch those amphibious bastards in the act.

“Nicole.” Waverly’s gaze was on her lips. “Why did Champ beat you up?” And the softness of her voice just about broke Nicole in half, because of course Waverly should know what Champ tried to do to her, that wasn’t her secret to keep anymore than it was Champ’s. She’d been protecting him out of a kind of fear, but what did she have left to be afraid of anymore?

So Nicole let herself break.

“The big mixer last year, at the start of the summer. The one at Champ’s. You got really drunk, you were passed out.” Nicole started, her voice shaking.

Waverly frowned.

“Yeah, I woke up at home, Champ brought me home.”

Nicole’s courage almost left her but she took a breath and kept moving through the information, as objective as she could sound.

“He didn’t. I brought you home.”

Waverly almost laughed, her vampire canines showing. “What?” There was still quite a lot of fake blood on her neck. “Why would Champ break your ribs over you driving me home?”

Silence again.

She tasted bad alcohol on her tongue, just about to reappear. “Well,” Nicole said, reaching out to touch her hand. Waverly’s skin was ice cold. Nicole almost couldn’t believe it. She was sweating like a pig. It was like they weren’t standing in the same room. The Earps must have terrible circulation issues. “Champ was going to…” She paused. Damn it, Haught! Objectivity! “You were passed out and he was going to… have sex with you anyways.” She held onto the vampire’s frozen hand. Waverly didn’t flinch at the touch this time, but leaned into it. “And I got him off you, and drove you to the homestead and brought you inside.” Nicole took a breath. “That’s why he kicked my ass. That’s why he started treating me like shit. And why most everybody else did. It wasn’t just the knee, it wasn’t just that I stopped coming to parties. It was you.”

The words dried up and Nicole couldn’t make them come back, couldn’t find anything to protect herself with.

Waverly’s face was impossible to read, she looked like one of her own books of untranslatable languages. Her eyes had drifted away from Nicole, landing on the frog-set floor mat.

Nicole gripped her hand tighter.

“Waverly?”

No response.

“Please say something.”

Waverly’s hand sprung to life and wrapped around Nicole’s. Nicole couldn’t help but stare at their interlocked fingers, verifying the sensation. When she looked up, Waverly’s eyes were back on her own.

“Waverly.” Nicole said, repeating herself.

“You rescued me.”

There was that softness again, it made her whole body ache. Nicole laughed a shaky laugh. “No.” She squeezed Waverly’s hands. “I just helped you out a bit.”

Of course, Waverly didn’t buy that for a minute.“Why?” She asked, looking at Nicole with a kind of wondrous disbelief, “Why would you do that for me?” Nicole felt her grip grow even tighter around Waverly’s hand. “We barely knew each other.” Her voice was so quiet Nicole struggled to hear Waverly over the sheer volume of the party just outside their hideaway. “And you rescued me. Why?”  

If Nicole could have moved closer to Waverly, she would have. There was almost no distance left anymore but that gap still felt too wide. The answer that she worked up sounded stupid as soon as it left her mouth, too cushy and romantic, but it was the truest answer she could give.

“Sometimes, you just know the right thing to do,” Nicole said, looking her in the eyes, “and above all else, Waverly Earp, I knew that bringing you home was the right thing to do.” She paused, “And you know what? I’d do it again.”  

And then Waverly crushed the space between them to nothing. This time, Nicole kissed her back, as reckless as she’d ever felt. Waverly’s lips weren’t cold like her hands. Their mouths were open almost immediately and Nicole felt Waverly’s tongue move inside of her. She gasped, not really prepared for any of this. Nicole’s first kiss had been Waverly in that parking lot a few days earlier, slamming her into a light post. So this was all new. Her arms were limp and awkward at her side. All she could focus on was not passing out as Waverly’s hands came to her cheeks and pulled their faces even closer together.

Nicole realized she should be responding and wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist. She made a small noise at the touch and their bodies pressed against each other, full contact. Nicole’s fingers ran over the velvet again, this time she noticed how old it felt. Like something she’d find at her grandmother’s.

Waverly tilted back slightly. “God.” She swallowed, rubbing the face of her thumb down Nicole’s cheekbone. She was still so terribly gorgeous, even drenched in sweat and bad decisions.

“This is a terrible idea.” Nicole muttered, turning away from Waverly’s fingers.

Her mouth gaped, “Don’t you dare.” Waverly said and pulled Nicole back down to her lips.  

Waverly had kissed Champ a lot, they’d fucked, they’d done a lot of different things together. She was by no means a virgin or unsteady in the world of sex and love. But kissing Nicole Haught knocked her back on her ass. Waverly had been aching for this, she suddenly realized, she’d been dying to kiss Nicole for awhile now. It felt dumb even to think it, but the empty places inside of her were filled up. Waverly pushed the taller girl hard against the bathroom wall, tipping a clay frog off a shelf that also held laundry detergent and extra hand towels. The frog fell through the air and landed with a satisfying clunk against the tile floor, shattering.

The noise barely registered on either girl’s mind.

Waverly couldn’t stop touching Nicole’s face and ran her fingers up and down neck and cheeks and shoulders. Eventually, she found her way into Nicole’s cropped hair and tangled through the short red tufts. This elicited another small moan from Nicole, which ran straight to Waverly’s core. Fuck, she was wet. Waverly smiled against Nicole’s mouth and kissed her again and again, like it was the only thing she’d ever wanted to do in her life.

Nicole, regaining motion, suddenly flipped the pair and it was Waverly against the wall. Trying to ignore her bleeding conscious, she checked in again.

“Are you sure about this?” Nicole held Waverly still. She had never felt so many things at once.

Waverly made a small noise that sounded like a whine.

“Nicole.” Her pupils were heavy and dark. “Please. Please.”

Then nothing could stop her. Nicole fell into Waverly and their mouths reconnected with such a fury that their teeth clacked. Inside Waverly’s mouth, Nicole could feel the fake canines biting against her tongue. Waverly pulled back and ghosted kisses down her neck, leaving the kind of dark lipstick stains that could get a girl in trouble around here.

“Fuck.” Nicole held onto her dark hair, as long and straight as Waverly was not. She left another mark right on Nicole’s sternum and then found her lips again.

“Still think it’s a bad idea?” Waverly whispered.

Nicole nodded. “Oh absolutely.”

Waverly’s started to twist at Nicole’s shirt. She waited for a confirmation and Nicole nodded her head so slightly. The cotton coming over Nicole’s head blocked their lips from each other for only a second.

“Holy shit.” Waverly exhaled, running a hand down Nicole’s chest and abdomen. She was skinny, too skinny, something that worried Waverly. She knew Nicole wasn’t eating well, wasn’t taking care of herself. Still, everything Nicole hid away behind layers of hoodies and big tee shirts was so goddamned beautiful that Waverly couldn’t think. “You are so…”

Nicole kissed her again.

“Don’t.” She said, quiet.

“So beautiful.” Waverly whispered.

“I’m not.” Nicole said, firm. “ _You_ are beautiful.”

Waverly just shook her head as her fingers traveled down the open skin now available to her. She was so pale, almost a ghost. “Liar.” Waverly had to stand on her tiptoes to kiss Nicole but it was worth it every time. She pressed herself against warm skin and locked her arms around Nicole’s neck. “You are everything.”

The knock at the bathroom was too quiet for either girl to hear, and they kept kissing, even as the lock came undone and the door swung open.

“Oh! Jesus Christ!”

That they heard.

Nicole and Waverly spun to see Chrissy Nedley staring at them from the dark of the hall. Her cat ears had disappeared and her nose was smudged.

“You two are gonna kill me.”

“Chrissy!” They both said at the same time.

Waverly’s face turned bright red as Nicole slammed her arm over her own chest, covering everything up.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is this a bad time?” Chrissy asked, sarcastic. “Because you two picked the _worst_ damn time in recorded history.”

“It’s not what it looks like.” Nicole offered, hands still on her breasts.

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Nicole.” She handed her the shirt back which Nicole very gratefully put on. Waverly’s breath was heavy. “It’s exactly what it looks like.”

This made Nicole pause again. Sometimes, on the court, the game moved too fast to have long strategic looks at the play in front of her. She fell back on repetition, practicing the same moves over and over again until she didn’t have to think about them. Nicole was a great basketball player but she wasn’t a coach, she didn’t make gameplans, she followed them through. However, every now and then, a moment would slow and she could see the whole course in front of her, every player and every obstacle she would have to best to make it across court. It was those moments that she lived for, why she started playing in the first place, and why she couldn’t stand to even watch a college basketball game anymore. Just then, she saw the court laid out. Champ and Chrissy and Steph and Waverly and everyone in between them and the door.

Waverly wasn’t fucking around with her. She wanted this just as bad. Nicole smiled, she didn’t know why it took her so long to figure all that out. “You’re right.” Nicole laughed, taking Waverly’s hand. The vampire looked up at her in surprise. “It _is_ what it looks like.”

Chrissy registered the sweet moment but kept her anxiety high. She looked over her shoulder, back at the party.  “Champ is on something. Something intense.” She muttered. “He’s a bit of a powderkeg, and I’d hate to see him explode all over you two.”

Waverly nodded. “We should go.”

“I can get you out the back.” Chrissy said, motioning for the two to follow her.

Nicole took another look at Waverly who gave a grim smile and followed Chrissy back into danger.

 

 

Champ was on PCP, it was a bit heavier than anything he’d taken before. His body stumbled as he tried to keep everything under control.

The party was decaying around him, everyone was getting a bit too wasted and a bit too high. There were a couple of his buddies hotboxing a jeep outside but he stayed away, his mind on other things.

Like Nicole Haught.

Not that Champ was a paranoid guy, but he knew Nicole could still fuck him over. Ever since that night, he’d been nervous about what she would or wouldn’t say to Nedley or Waverly or anyone else that could skewer his future like a hog. Then, through pure coincidence, Waverly and Nicole start getting close and she breaks up with him a couple of weeks later, it all seemed badly timed.

No one would believe Nicole of course, but Waverly was a different story. Everybody loved Waverly, even more than Champ.

He took the last sip of his beer. The drugs made him thirsty. He stepped out onto the porch, and through foggy vision, caught a glimpse of that stupid buzzed haircut creeping towards Waverly’s sedan.

Nicole was right fucking there.

 

 

“Shit.” Waverly whispered, shuddering in the air. They had just reached the car, Waverly was the only one who really seemed capable of driving even though she had taken a few shots. They were all compromised. “I left my coat on the stairwell.”

“Here.” Nicole shrugged off her jacket. Waverly smiled as she wrapped the coat around her. It was way too big and hung loose in the worst places but it smelled like Nicole, so she accepted it readily.

“Thanks.”

Nicole grinned back, liking the look of Waverly in her clothes.

“Don’t you two go all rom-com on me.” Chrissy said, jumping in shotgun. Waverly laughed, looking down at her boots. The snow was growing fiercer, it would be a tough drive home even if they hadn’t been tipsy. Waverly leaned in and squeezed Nicole’s hand before walking around to the driver’s side of her car.

“You should stay at my house tonight.” Waverly said freely. She had the car door open but remained standing, staring at Nicole. “Less driving and all that.”

Nicole gave her a cautious look. “Okay.” She wasn't going to fight Waverly, but there was a big difference between making out with someone at a party and inviting them home.

“Haught!”

All three girls froze.

“Oh fuck.” Nicole said.

Champ bounded down off Steph’s porch, empty beer bottle still in his hands. “What are you doing here?” He asked, lit by the safety lights blaring behind him.

“Champ. Relax.” Nicole said. Before she could get another word out, he slammed her against the car door, shaking the tiny sedan. Waverly yelped and ran around the front of the car.

“What are you doing here, Haughtshit?” Champ’s words were slurring, his eyes seemed dangerous and unfocused. Chrissy was right, Nicole realized, he was on something, something heavier than the acid she’d been passing out. His forearm was pressing right into her neck and the heavy snowfall in the air made it even more difficult to breathe.

“Just passing through,” she choked out, making sure to spit as the words came, “plenty of opportunities to sell, you know.”

“ _Get off of her_!” Waverly’s voice was high and clear, she yanked at Champ’s jacket, revealing too much of herself in the desperation.

Champ kept his arm planted at Nicole’s throat but turned back to face Waverly.

“Oh.” He said, dead-eyed. “You nervous, babe? Scared I might hurt that pretty face?”

Nicole could spot Waverly’s eyes even with the tears in her own. She looked terrified.

“You prick.” Waverly said, trying to contain herself. “Let her go.”

Champ smashed the beer bottle open on the roof of the car, making Waverly scream again. He held up to Nicole’s cheek, the spiked edges glinting against the dark and the snow.

“I could fuck her up pretty bad.”

Chrissy chose that moment to slam the shotgun door open into Champ’s stomach. It was a clean move, Nicole barely saw it happen til her throat was released and Champ was staggering backwards, holding his balls and gasping for breath. Her hands immediately went to the tender flesh around her throat, she felt like might throw up. The skin burned under her touch, that was definitely gonna bruise.

Chrissy emerged from the car. “You are so stupid, man.” She kept her cool, letting Waverly run to Nicole.

“Oh God. Oh God.” Waverly repeated, swaddling Nicole up in a hug. “Are you okay?”

Nicole, unable to find her voice, nodded.

“Your boyfriend doesn’t look so good.” Chrissy said, leaning over Champ who was still twisting in the snow.

Waverly turned, a deadly look in her eyes. Nicole, with her hands on Waverly’s, felt the smaller girl begin to vibrate like a hornet. “He’s not my boyfriend.” The words could have been daggers. Waverly leaned over Champ, making sure he was looking at her. “Nicole told me what you did.” Champ’s eyes got big and he opened his mouth to defend himself. “Don’t come near me.” She said, “Or Nicole. Not ever.”

“Babe.” Champ started, suddenly very afraid. “I fucked up. It was one night, I thought you were awake.”

Waverly had real tears now, more than she’d cried over Champ in awhile. “You tried to- you…” She lost the power to speak, instead landing a high heeled kick to his side. “I _trusted_ you, you absolute piece of shit!”

Nicole, able to breathe again, moved towards Waverly, unsure what role to play.

“If Nicole hadn’t stopped you,” Waverly started, her words becoming rapidfire, “would you have done it? I mean, really done it, Champ?”

The trip was turning as sour as his night was and Champ rubbed at his nose.

“It’s not like we’d never fucked before.”

Waverly flipped. She screamed again, landing another kick to his side on every word. “ _That. Doesn’t. Fucking. Matter._ ” She spit. Champ groaned, trying to drag himself away from the girls.

Nicole put an arm around Waverly, keeping her eyes on the party-goers behind them. This was still a danger zone. Everybody could see them, plain as day. “Waverly.” She warned.

“Go to hell, Champ.” She said, turning back towards Nicole.

Champ let out one more sound. “Waverly!” He called, desperate. Nicole gave him a look, still scared about what he could do to the both of them. Chrissy grabbed her arm and pulled Nicole towards the car.

“Come on, Haughtshit.” Chrissy said, her voice strangled. “Time to go.”

 

\--

 

They made it back without crashing, and Chrissy stayed with them through the night.

“I’ll just pick up my car from Steph’s tomorrow.” She said, “I’d definitely die going out there again.”

Nicole and Waverly stared at her, too tired to figure out if that was a joke. Chrissy Nedley was, above all else, her father’s daughter and couldn’t always be relied on for humor. Waverly offered her the couch, since Wynonna wouldn’t be back until morning. That left Nicole in Waverly’s room and the whole situation got tense again. Waverly hadn’t stopped shaking since they got in the car and Nicole wasn’t sure if it was the cold or Champ.

“I should have told you earlier.” Nicole said. “I should have told you the moment it happened.”

Waverly didn’t say anything. She just sat on her bed, still wearing the Halloween costume and protected by Nicole’s jacket. She turned away, looking back outside at the falling snow. Nicole suddenly realized she didn’t have the mask on her anymore. It had been lost somewhere outside Steph’s house, probably when Champ attacked them. Shit, she’d kinda liked that ugly thing. Plus, she was holding it when Waverly Earp kissed her, which made any object sentimental enough to save.

“Nicole.” Waverly’s voice brought her back. Nicole turned around. “I need to sleep.”

She nodded, moving back towards Waverly. “Do you have a sleeping bag I could borrow?” Nicole asked, treading carefully. The look returned by Waverly’s eyes told her that was the wrong question to ask. “...Or not.”

Waverly shrugged off the coat bit by bit and pushed herself down under the covers, vampire makeup still on.

“Could you just hold me for a minute?” She asked.

Nicole didn’t answer, she simply moved, sliding under the soft comforter and putting her arms around Waverly’s tilted form. The dress was so soft it almost acted as a blanket unto itself. She felt Waverly’s breath grow more and more shallow, eventually figuring out that she was crying. Nicole wished she was good at this, good at comforting people or even at protecting people in the first place. How many times would she get to really keep somebody safe from harm? And here she was fucking it up as usual. Suddenly, a line popped into her head. It seemed like a good thing to say.

“You’re more than him.” Nicole whispered, feeling her arms grow wet with tears.

Waverly didn’t respond right away, but eventually she stopped crying and grew still. Hopefully sleeping. The only indication that she was still alive stayed hot on Nicole’s hands. They were locked like that until morning.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im serious that was my all time fav episode of this show god damn emily andras u know how to fuckin deliver. 
> 
> ANYWAYS im trying to make a plan for the rest of this fic, cause i really am just winging it here, and i'm gonna be aiming for around 10-12 chapters. hopefully that will give me space to wrap all this up. our girls kissed!!! they love each other!!!! ahh!!!! 
> 
> hey if u leave a comment i will love u forever its true please validate me


	7. 777777

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this ones a little longer than usual, lots of stuff happening. enjoy!!
> 
> also, cw for discussions of rape and actual drug use

\--

 

**NOV33mB3r**

 

\--

 

Waverly woke up first. She found herself in familiar territory with an unfamiliar addition. Nicole had her arms wrapped sharp around Waverly, snoring slightly. She blushed at the sound. The weight of Nicole Haught asleep next to her continued to inspire some very homosexual feelings, just like it did the first time she’d come to the homestead. Even then, Waverly found it hard to keep her stomach from bubbling.

Or, the second time. Right. The second time she’d come.

Waverly swallowed the thought. Nicole had been here last summer. She’d carried Waverly inside, all passed out, when Champ had tried to…

She shook it off, snuggling further into Nicole’s arms and trying to fall asleep. She usually got so cold at night, but with Nicole’s body cocooning her, Waverly felt quite warm. Her pillow hummed and shifted, but kept her eyes shut. It was a sweet sound, one that should have distracted any bad thoughts away from Waverly, but one word kept coming back to her, over and over.

Rape. It would have been rape, right?

Waverly grit her teeth, her eyes opening back up. Squeezing out of Nicole’s grasp, she checked her phone. It was only 8:30. She stretched and tried to spit the bad taste from her mouth. The word ‘rape’ made Waverly feel a little sick and a little silly, like it was reserved for more serious dramas. She couldn’t even remember the night in question, everything she knew had been filled in, first by Champ and then by Nicole. How could she be so upset over something she’d slept through? Waverly frowned. The word still sent a shiver up her spine.

“Hey.”

Waverly turned. Nicole was awake, a sleepy smile on her face.

“Hey.” Waverly returned a bigger one. God, she was pretty. All that fidgeting Waverly had done for the past few weeks seemed ridiculous in the face of Nicole Haught’s morning smile. Waverly wondered how she’d stopped herself from kissing the idiot through the bars of that holding cell.

“S’early.” Nicole muttered, her mouth pressing back down to the bed. “My head.”

“You are such a lightweight.” Waverly laughed.

Nicole nodded into the pillow. It was dark and quiet in the bedroom, but Nicole’s hangover was still screaming at her. It seemed a lot worse than it should have been.

“D’you put something in my drink?” Nicole asked, half serious.

Waverly sat down next to her, her hand fell to Nicole’s calf. “I hope I don’t seem that desperate to get you into bed.”

That made Nicole laugh and then wince. “Ow.”

“You should sleep, Nicole.” Waverly took a risk and ran her hand up Nicole’s leg, landing somewhere mid-thigh. Even through the haze, she tightened up. “You had a big night.”

Nicole looked at her and nodded. “I didn’t tell you. I should have told you.”

She waved her hands, interrupting. “Sleep, baby.”

The nickname came out of nowhere, almost immediately Waverly wanted to take it back. Nicole’s not a baby, she’s a grown woman. How demeaning and sexist do you have to be, Waverly?

You sound like Champ. Waverly shook her head, standing. “I- Sorry, I just meant: you need rest.”

Hopefully Nicole hadn’t even heard her say it.

Nicole had definitely heard her say it, judging by the color of her cheeks. She still looked awestruck by her location, like there wasn’t a reality she’d predicted that had her waking up in Waverly Earp’s bed with lipstick stains on her neck. Her eyelids fluttered.

Waverly bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe ‘baby’ wasn’t so bad?

“I- I’ll sleep.” Nicole’s head fell back against the pillow. She shut her eyes, faking it, but it didn’t take long before faking turned back into actual little snores and deep sighs. Waverly watched her drift, trying not to feel like a creep.

She heard movement traveling up through through the drafty floorboards and picked up Nicole’s big coat from the ground. It hadn’t lost any of its lovely scent and Waverly felt her heart quiet once she was tarped up in it. Nicole’s breathing leveled out. Waverly ran her fingers lightly over the sleeping girl’s skin and tried to match the pace as a kind of meditation.

The door opened a smidge and Chrissy poked her head in. “Thank God,” she cracked a grin, “You both have clothes on this time.”

“Shh.” Waverly gestured to Nicole. Chrissy rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah.”

They moved downstairs, leaving a note for Nicole. Chrissy needed a ride back to Steph’s house to pick up her car. She told Waverly her dad totally would have swung by but he was busy with some phone call he’d received that morning.

“He said he barely had time for breakfast,” Chrissy pulled her own coat on, “And that’s, like, his second favorite meal.”

Waverly didn’t think anything of it.

 

 

“Thank you, by the way, for getting us out of there.” Waverly said, flicking her eyes at the rear view before turning left into Steph’s driveway. Chrissy’s car was one of many still littered on the lawn. How the hell she hid these parties from her parents was anybody’s guess. “You’re the best.”

“Of course I am.” Chrissy pulled her jacket tight and smiled. “Someone’s gotta keep you Earps out of trouble.” Waverly gave her a look but Chrissy’s smile only broadened. She was right after all.

Waverly scanned the lot for Champ’s car and found nothing. He was gone, must have left soon after they did. A wave of relief ran through her. She put the sedan in park, her breath visible. It was still freezing, even with the storm having passed. Her ears were bright red. She might have brought the ear muffs Gus got her for Christmas last year but they were still latched on the coat hanger, forgotten. The jacket, however, was proving its worth. All she really wanted to do was sneak back into bed with Nicole, just lay still for awhile longer. Chrissy turned to her.

“So, what? Are we really not gonna talk about your lady-love?”

Waverly exhaled, her stomach lurching. “God, do we have to?” She grimaced.

“Well, we don’t have to.” She paused and Waverly looked back out at the Jones’ house. “She’s definitely an improvement over Champ though, even if she is a drug addict.”

Waverly turned back, her eyebrows lowered. “Not an addict. She only sells the drugs.”

“Oh excuse me, _trafficking_ , that’s a whole lot better.” Waverly made a face and Chrissy hit her shoulder lightly. “God. Listen to you, defending your woman.”

Waverly stilled. Chrissy was right again, she was defending Nicole. Geez, when did she let herself get so involved? “Yeah.” She said, rubbing her ears. She really should have brought the muffs. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

Chrissy Nedley, who was not a homophobe nor was she overly surprised about Waverly’s rendezvous in the bathroom last night, was just about tired of seeing her best friend beat around the bush. She was no cop, but she knew her way around an investigation. It didn’t take a sheriff’s daughter to figure out Waverly and Nicole. “Not necessarily,” She started slow, guessing Waverly was still plenty uncomfortable with everything that had gone down in the past twenty-four hours. “You care about her, don’t you?” Chrissy said, poking Waverly’s arm. “Caring is a good thing.”

Waverly felt her face grow warm. She noticed her hands were shaking.

“It is.” She paused, “Sort of.”

“Sort of?”  

Waverly put her head down on the steering wheel and let out a low, sharp noise. “I’m fucked.”

Chrissy changed tactics. “Waves, come on. You like her.”

Waverly brought her head back up and looked through the windshield. With the storm ended and the skies clear, fresh snow on the ground was a relief. It had nicely covered the evidence of last night’s disaster. Stephie’s house, now lined in white, could have passed for a different location entirely. Waverly hadn’t been that drunk at all, she could remember cornering Nicole in the bathroom; the taste of her lips; the static electricity that seemed to shock her every time they touched. It was all as clear as the blue sky above her.

“That’s the problem.” Waverly said, shoving her hands deep down in the jacket pockets, “I think I like her too much. Like I _really_ like her, Chrissy.” Her hands jammed up against something that felt like plastic.

Waverly paused and felt around, there was a lot of plastic. And something else. Something thin and papery.

No way.

Nicole wouldn’t have, she thought, no fucking way.

“She definitely likes you back.” Chrissy hadn’t yet noticed the shift. “So, what’s the issue?”

Waverly’s hand closed around what was certainly a plastic bag and her heart started beating. She couldn’t entirely make out what was inside, but she wasn’t stupid. Waverly squeezed her eyes shut, as if she could somehow wake up from this.

“Waverly?” Chrissy had noticed.

“I think need to get back to the homestead.” Waverly said, her voice low.

She squinted. “Everything okay?”

Waverly nodded.

Chrissy, completely unsatisfied, wanted to say something more but her friend looked so exhausted that she held her tongue. The interview was put on hold. She couldn’t well force any information out of Waverly. It was a well known Nedley adage that it was pretty much impossible to force the Earps to do anything. As she stepped out of the car, the snow clogged up her boots and Chrissy found herself clunking through the ice like she was wearing stones on her feet.

“Damn Earps.” She muttered, approaching her ride.

Waverly gave a small wave before sticking her fingers back down inside the coat. She pulled out three or four plastic baggies, full of what Waverly could only assume were unmarked LSD tabs, and a couple hundred bucks rolled up in rubber bands.

“I’m gonna kill her.” Waverly muttered, putting the car in reverse.

Her stomach twisted and she thought about Nicole, sleepy and peaceful on her bed. The girl probably hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep in ages. Was she really gonna barge and start accusing her of things all over again? It seemed like that game had been played out.

Waverly groaned. All her strength had vanished and been replaced with a desire to see Nicole well-rested, even just for a minute.

Goddamn it.

“I’ll make her breakfast,” She conceded, “and _then_ , I’m gonna kill her.”

 

 

Waverly was frying eggs and waiting for Nicole to walk downstairs. Her anger had cooled on the drive over, softening into worry. Nicole was still in a lot of trouble with Nedley and her parents and the school; she couldn’t possibly think selling more acid was a good idea. One wrong step could get her expelled, fuck, or even locked up. That thought gave her mouth a sour taste.

She focused on breakfast, slipping two eggs from her pan onto the plates she’d set at either end of the table. The toaster dinged.

“Okay, okay.” Waverly pulled out the english muffin and a stick of butter from the ice box. “This is gonna be fine.” The muffins got buttered and the eggs were salted and everything looked pretty damn good. She sat down in the far chair and waited, not touching the food. She had a vision in mind; Nicole appearing from around their stairwell; healthy meal on the table; Waverly wearing her coat. They could both just talk, really talk and lay all their cards out. Now that they’d kissed, now that they’d admitted that much, they could deal with everything that came along with it. Waverly smiled, just like mature, responsible adults who care about each other. _Then_ she’d work on getting her off the drug stuff.

Part of Waverly felt giddy just at the idea of getting to kiss Nicole again.

“I like you.” She practiced out loud. “I want to trust you. I care about you. I want to be with-… No.” She sneezed, the words felt weird in her mouth. She used to be so good at expressing what she was thinking, Nicole turned that on its head. “I’m- I might be… gay. Possibly.” Waverly shook her head, standing. “Oh Jesus, Earp.” It was all so foreign when spoken out loud. Waverly pushed the plate away and landed her head on the tablecloth, one their mother had crafted a billion years ago. “I suck at this.”     

And all remained quiet. Nicole didn’t appear from around the stairwell.

Purgatory’s snow plows came and did the driveway.

The eggs steamed and then went cold.

Waverly’s feet tapped the against her chair leg. Jesus, Nicole really must have been exhausted. She thought about walking upstairs to check on her, but decided against it. She’d read once in a book about negotiation that whoever enters the room first has the upper hand in argumentative conversation. Not that she was looking to argue, but Waverly could stand to have the upper hand today.  

She reached back into the coat and pulled out the baggies, staring hard. They just looked like a bunch of little stickers, nothing worth fighting over. Waverly had steered clear of drugs her whole life, learning from Wynonna’s bad example. Sure, she knew how to get plastered, good drink was pretty much a staple of Earp life and Waverly couldn’t escape that. She’d smoked a few joints too, split an edible with Chrissy once or twice, but this was different and she knew it. Higher risk, higher reward.

Waverly bit her bottom lip and opened the pouch, breaking one piece off and bringing it out into the open. It looked so innocuous. This little piece of nothing was what got Nicole Haught thrown in jail all those many weeks ago, back when they barely knew each other.

She held a tab up to the light. Her eyes burned.

What could one tiny dosage do? She looked back at the stairwell but all was quiet. Nicole probably wasn’t even awake yet.

She placed the sheet on her tongue and waited.

 

\--

 

Nicole woke up and the bed was empty. Her immediate reaction was fear.

“Waverly?” She called out, flipping over. A few feathers flew up into the air, landing in Nicole’s bedhead. “Waves?” She still had all her layers on, everything except the coat. Nicole rubbed her eyes and stood, getting her bearings on the day. A quick glance at her phone told her it was past 12. Jesus, she really slept in. She had twenty notifications from her mom, all some variation on: ‘Where are you?’, ‘Come home immediately.’ and ‘Please call.’

She shot off a text, confirming she was at the Earp homestead and hid her phone away, not yet ready to deal with whatever that was.

On the door, there was a small post-it-note.

 

_Bringing Chrissy home - be back soon._

_xo W_

 

Nicole tried not to read to far into ‘xo’ but felt her heart pounding.

 

 

Downstairs, it smelled like breakfast. She turned around the stairwell and saw Waverly sitting at the dinner table, staring up at the ceiling. Nicole stopped herself.

“Waverly, thank God.” She exhaled, moving towards her. “Sorry, I just got so nervous for a minute, I didn’t know where you’d -”

Nicole saw the baggies out on the table, and the cash she’d scored last night. Her voice caught in her throat. Waverly wasn’t looking at her, eyes still stuck on the wood ceiling.

“Oh fuck.” Nicole slid her palms down the jeans she was still wearing. “Fuck.”

Waverly didn’t say anything.

Shit. “Waverly.” Nicole’s mind was scrambling. After all of that, she had to go and screw it up within a couple of hours. Waverly wouldn’t even look at her. “Waverly, I’m so sorry.” Nicole said, “I shouldn’t have brought that stuff, I don’t know what I was thinking.” Nicole _especially_ didn’t know what she was thinking leaving her alone with that damn coat. She moved towards Waverly, looking to get some kind of response. The seated girl gave her nothing. Waverly’s head was tilted back, resting on the head of the chair. Her mouth hung open just slightly. “Waves.” She pleaded. “I know you’re pissed but I swear to God, I wasn’t thinking. I never would have brought that stuff it if I’d known everything we-!”

“Shhhhhhhh.” Waverly finally said, the sound extending for more than thirty seconds. Nicole shut up, mid-thought. “Shhhhhhhh.” She didn’t bring her gaze away from the ceiling.

“Um-”

Waverly cut her off again. “I can’t _see_ when you’re so _loud_.”

There was a pause.

“What?”

Waverly swung her head around to look at Nicole. Her pupils were blown up. As soon they locked eyes, she smiled, letting out a kind of high pitched giggle Nicole was pretty sure she’d never heard before in her life. Well, at least not from Waverly.

She heard it from her clients though, all the damn time.

“The eggs are floating.” Waverly said, still smiling.

Nicole looked down at the baggies and noticed one of them was open.

Oh.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“You’re _really_ pretty.” Waverly whispered, ‘But when you’re so loud, I can’t see.” She brought one of her hands in front of her face and spun it, looking at her fingers as if they were glowing.

“Waverly.” Nicole said, kneeling down so they were at eye level. “Did you drop a tab?”

She looked back at Nicole, trying to suppress a very guilty expression, like a puppy who’d eaten an entire pie off a counter. “You did.” Nicole said, unable to hide a smile herself. “Damn. Waverly Earp, dropping acid. Who would have guessed?”

Waverly giggled again, that high peeling sound, like church bells. It was almost unnatural. “Waverly Earp.” She repeated. “Yeah.” She kept laughing. Nicole started laughing with her, it was infectious.

“How’s the trip, Waves?” Nicole leaned in closer, brushing a few crumbs out of her hair. She might have fallen into her plate earlier, the eggs looked crushed.

“Oh my God.” Her syllables were drooping. They might have been talking underwater. She put her hands out again, gently hitting Nicole in the cheek. The contact didn’t seem to register. “This is so-oo weird.”

“Uh-huh.” Nicole said. It was hard to keep a straight face with Waverly looking at her like that, all bright-eyed and hungry. “You owe me like, ten bucks by the way.”

Waverly leaned in and kissed her.

Nicole blinked, frozen in place.

“Okay, we’ll call it even.” She said.

That was still quite the feeling.

“Man.” Waverly turned the chair outwards, grabbing Nicole by the neck and pulling her in. They were nose to nose now. Waverly’s legs wrapped around her waist. “I’d wanted’a kiss you for soo-oo long.” Her lips brushed against Nicole’s cheeks.

“Oh, geez, I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.” Nicole excused, trying to hold her steady. Though Waverly took far better care of herself, Nicole still had about nine inches on the girl and could definitely lock her in place if necessary. “So, maybe we should wait until later? Like eight to ten hours later?” Letting Waverly kiss her like this seemed a little morally repugnant, though it was hard not to give in. Nicole glanced over at the clock. “Right, Waves?”

Waverly, who had started talking to the chair like it was an old friend, looked back up at Nicole. She was definitely way out of it. Waverly was a fun drunk, a good kind of peppy energetic drunk that killed at parties, but she was apparently quite affectionate on hallucinogens. Her hands ran up and down Nicole’s back.

“Uh-huh?” She laughed again. “Waves. That’s a dumb nickname.”

“Oh?” Nicole paused, “I kinda thought you liked that one.”

Waverly smiled and leaned in like she had a secret. “I like it when _you_ call me Waves.” She whispered.

Nicole blushed. “Oh.” She shook her head, trying to stay focused. “Do you remember what time you took it?”  

Waverly cocked her head sideways. “Took what?”

“The acid.”

“Oh!” Waverly yelped and started laughing so hard that she fell out of Nicole’s grasp and landed with a thud on the floor. Nicole let out a small curse but she just kept on laughing and rolling around.

Nicole knelt down. “You okay?”

“ _The acid_.” Waverly cackled. “Holy shit, I dropped acid.”

Nicole nodded, half frustrated and half content to allow Waverly Earp to keep on laughing her pretty laugh at things that weren’t funny. “Do you remember what the time was?” She said again, trying to be patient, trying to be an excellent friend. “When you started tripping?”

“I really wanted to fuck you last night,” Waverly said, suddenly still, “but then I got so tired.”

Nicole found herself choking on nothing for the second time in five minutes. “Oh,” was all she managed to get out.

So much for being an excellent friend.

Waverly kept a dreamy smile on. “Woah, our ceiling is so fucking weird, Nicole.” She was flat on her back, staring at nothing.

Nicole nodded, eyes still wide. “Okay, yeah, yeah. Sure.” She knew one of the many, many associated short term effects of LSD was the weakening of social inhibitions, so this was really normal. She just had to wait out the high with Waverly. Preferably where no one could hear her talk.

“Nicooo-oooo-oole.” Waverly sang, if you could call it singing. “That’s a dumb name too.”

Of course, for the whole ‘weakened inhibitions’ bullshit to be plausible, the desire still had to be there in the first place, which meant Waverly probably _had_ wanted to fuck her last night. Nicole swallowed, trying not to think about it.  

“So, it’s almost 12:30.” Nicole said, trying again. “You took a tab around…?”

“11.” Waverly wrapped their fingers together. “I made a timer, I wanted to doc-u-ment the effects as they happened, in real time.” She reached up to the table, sliding her phone towards Nicole. “It was really boring and then it was so-oo nice.”

Nicole checked the timer. Sure enough, Waverly was nearing her second hour. She looked back down at the girl, still lying on the floor. Well, Nicole thought, this isn’t the worst first trip I’ve ever seen. She opened Waverly’s note app and found the data collected thus far.

 

 

_\- 5 min. No visual response. Slight quickening of pulse._

_\- 7 min. No visual response._

_\- 10 min. Nada. Apparently it takes about 15 minutes to really kick in. My heartrate is still up._

_\- 15 min. Nope._

_\- 25 min. Maybe these are fake tabs._

_\- 30 min. These are totally fake tabs._

_\- 35 min. Okay, feeling slight dizziness and nausea but still no hallucinations, visual or auditory. Still, kinda feeling something. Comparable to a light buzz._

_\- 40 i_

_\- 45_

_\- oh fuckkkkkk_

_\- asyduaidjjnweldnwe_

 

 

Nicole sighed. Nice work, Dr. Earp.

She slid the phone in her pocket and knelt back down to look at Waverly, still splayed out like a starfish.

“You wanna go somewhere a little more comfy?” She asked, “Like a couch?”

Waverly opted to start humming a tune that Nicole didn’t recognize.

She sighed. “I’m gonna take that as a yes.”

 

 

Nicole had ignored Waverly peppering kisses to her neck and set her down gentle on the couch in front of the TV. Of all the things Nicole had expected to do this morning, carrying a drugged up Waverly Earp bridal-style through the homestead was not one of them.

You’re lucky she’s okay, a voice reminded her, she could have taken a fucked up trip and panicked and hurt herself bad. You’ve seen what happens after people flip out on acid. You put her in danger. Nicole rubbed her nose. It was true that if Waverly hadn’t taken so well to the drugs, things could have gotten ugly fast. She’d seen people tripping, convinced of their own hallucinations, taking razors to their skin, ripping out their hair, one idiot she’d sold to had a gun nearby and shot himself in the foot.

Waverly grabbed her hand and brought it to her lips.

“You taste gross.” She complained.

Nicole smiled, not offended. “Haven’t exactly showered yet.” Or in awhile.

Waverly didn’t like that response and started muttering something under her breath.

“Waverly!” Another voice, this one real, sounded from the doorway. “Hey, I’m back!”

“Oh shit, it’s Wynonna.” Nicole pulled her hand away. Waverly let out a sound of distress, trying to sit up but completely unable to find a grip on the couch. She cursed and kept wriggling against the fabric. “Um.” Nicole didn’t know what to do with the squirming girl underneath her.

Then she remembered the TV.

“Oh, here you go.” Nicole found the remote and turned on one of the empty local stations around Purgatory. Static filled the screen; Waverly was captivated.

“Woah.”

“Just, stay here.” She told Waverly, who probably couldn’t hear her anymore.

“Waverly?” Wynonna called again, “You around?” She walked through the doorway and saw Nicole standing above her limp sister.

“Hey.” Nicole said, her voice high.

Wynonna stopped, peering at her. “Haughtshit?”

“Wynonna.”

The older Earp eyed her with a terrible suspicion. Nicole suddenly remembered that she’d flaked on Wynonna last night, so this probably wasn’t going to be a sunny reunion. She wrinkled her nose, expecting the worst.

“What’s with her?” Wynonna asked, sidestepping Nicole completely. Waverly was still staring at the television, not having noticed any of the commotion.

Nicole cleared her throat. She’d never thought of Wynonna as sister of the year, but knew she leaned on the more protective side when it came to her family. “She, uh, kinda got into the product.” Nicole said, delicate. “Might’ve dropped a microgram or two.”

Wynonna turned, mouth half open. “Seriously?”  

Nicole nodded and Wynonna whistled, spinning away in time to see Waverly start laughing at nothing. She knelt down.

“Hey baby girl.” Her voice had lost its edge. “You doing okay?”

“Wynonna.” Waverly cooed. “We’ve been looking everywhere.”

Nicole watched the exchange, unsure of her footing. She always got the feeling that Waverly was the one in charge, that she had to look after her older sister. Nicole never understood how the three Earp sisters were allowed to live together out here in the wilderness. Wynonna didn’t seem like she’d be good at raising anybody, but as she touched Waverly’s shoulder, Nicole could see it.

“Well, I’m here now.”

Waverly shushed her and pointed at the screen. “Check that out.”

Wynonna turned, staring at the slosh for a second before smiling at Waverly and nodding. “Yeah, that’s pretty cool.” She gave Nicole a death glare and pointed her towards the dining room. Nicole’s eyes went wide and she nodded, not about to put up a fight.

Wynonna looked at Waverly again. “Alright, Waves. You stay here and watch your show.” Wynonna stepped towards the still frozen Nicole, snarl in her throat. “Let’s you and me have a talk.”

 

 

They could still hear Waverly’s laughter at the dinner table. Wynonna had somehow found a slim jim and was tearing at it like a rabid animal. Nicole drummed her fingers on the tablecloth, terrified.

“You drugged my baby sister.” Wynonna said, mouth full.

Nicole shook her head. “Okay, _she_ took the drugs. I wasn’t even awake yet.”

“Awake?” Wynonna’s face scrunched up. “You stayed here last night?”

Nicole, cursing herself for being a terrible liar, tried to muster an explanation. “The storm got bad, Waverly figured it was safer for me to stay here.” That sounded good, Wynonna’s face didn’t relax but she seemed to accept the answer. “When I woke up, she was already like this.”

“It’s not like her.” Wynonna said, ripping off another chunk of jerky. “She’s the good one. Waverly Earp wouldn’t do something like this.”

“You’d be surprised…” Nicole muttered.

“Besides, I thought you’d closed up shop.” Wynonna pointed the slim jim at her like a weapon. “But you just _happen_ to have acid on you that my sister just _happens_ to trip on.” Nicole swallowed. “Not to mention the money on the table. Seems suspicious, Haughtshit.” Wynonna flashed her teeth, not smiling. “You sure you didn’t slip her anything?”

“I would never.” Nicole kept her voice firm. “Come on, Wynonna, I’m the most honest drug dealer you know.”

“And yet…” Wynonna let the implication settle in the cold air between them.

“She’ll be fine in a couple hours.”

“I know how it works.” Wynonna crumpled the plastic and tossed it on the table. Nicole could imagine Waverly picking it up later, continually cleaning up her sister’s messes. She frowned.

Nope, not this one.

“Aren’t you gonna throw that out?” Nicole asked, raising her tone.

Wynonna gave her a look. “Excuse me?”

Nicole took in an unsteady breath. “You should throw out the wrapper, Earp.” She held firm. Wynonna smiled for the first time since she laid eyes on Nicole in her living room.

“Feisty.” She said, “Very feisty. I like that.”   

Nicole held their eye contact as Wynonna leaned over to grab the discarded slim jim wrapper and toss it in the trash. It was a perfect free throw, landing dead center in the bin.

“Swish.” Wynonna said coolly, sending a wink towards Nicole. “Guess I should be the one in the NBA, huh?”

Nicole huffed.

“I think I got everything under control, Haught.” Wynonna paused, a glimpse of sincerity running past her eyes. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

Nicole nodded, her stomach twisting at the thought of leaving Waverly. “Are you sure? I mean, she’s still pretty deep in it right now, could be a handful”

Wynonna scoffed. “She’s a wet pool noodle, I think I’ll survive.”

“Okay.” Nicole said, still hesitant. She checked her phone again, but there were no new messages. Her mom must have relaxed. “I should probably check in at home anyways.”

There was more laughter from the couch and Wynonna sighed. “And I could stand to check in on her.”

“You’re a good sister, Wynonna.” Nicole said, hesitant. “It’s a shame she won’t remember it.”

Wynonna’s face fell.

“Yeah.” She said after a minute, resuming her ironic tone. “But then she’d expect it, wouldn't she?”

Nicole didn’t know what to say to that, so she changed subjects. “You think you could give me a ride home?” She started gathering baggies in her hands and snuck everything away into convenient pockets. Waverly had left the money unbanded, like she’d been counting it, so Nicole wrapped it up again, squirreling it away into her hoodie. Waverly still had her coat on, but she didn’t mind sharing.

“You don’t have a car, dude?” Wynonna asked.

“Honestly,” Nicole replied, “I haven’t even taken drivers ed yet.”

That made Wynonna laugh and she clapped Nicole on the back. “You’re a damn mess, Haughtshit.” Nicole rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’ll give you a ride.”

 

 

They didn’t make it to the car. As they stepped off the porch, A PPD wagon appeared out by the mailbox and rolled down the driveway, its wheels grinding against the snow. The lights weren’t flaring and the siren wasn’t on, but they might as well have been.

“Oh shit.” Wynonna said out loud. Nicole froze in place.

Two more came crawling after it, along with her dad’s car.

“Oh shit.” Nicole repeated, her heart sinking.

Nedley was in the front seat of the first car. He was stoic as he emerged, not giving away a thing. Nicole felt like she might puke as the side door opened and Champ stepped out, hiding a smile.

“No fucking way.” Nicole whispered. The rest of a mob formed in front of them: three police officers, Champ, and Nicole’s parents all came out onto the snow. They had their eyes locked hard on the pair standing at the edge of the Earp porch. Her mother was weepy, clearly having cried earlier that day, but her dad was wearing a hard expression. He seemed to be looking just past Nicole, like he couldn’t meet her eye. The two other officers were unfamiliar, neither one had been part of the team that brought her in the first time she’d been arrested. Champ’s grin was well disguised but Nicole could see through it. She noticed his nose was still bloody, he hadn’t cleaned up since last night.

The group landed at the porch and Wynonna was instantly on the offensive.

“Bringing out the whole cavalry, Nedley?”

“Earp, Haught.” Nedley grimaced, “Isn’t this just Purgatory’s finest?”

Wynonna smirked. “You bet.”

“Mom? Dad?” Nicole said, trying to control her voice. “What’s going on?” Cheryl Haught lost it and the crying started, which brought tears to Nicole’s eyes too. She hated seeing her mom cry, always had. “Mom.”

“Champ told us everything, Nicole.” Her dad stepped in. “Don’t act like you don’t know.”

“Champ?” Nicole’s voice tightened. “Why the _hell_ would you believe anything-?”

“I’m your friend, Nicole.” Champ interrupted, tender, “I just don’t want to see you hurt yourself like this.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped.

“What?”

“The kid’s right, Haught.” Nedley started up the steps. “We’re all trying to help. Now, you have to face the consequences of your actions, but we think you’ll be better for it.”

“What fucking actions?” Nicole hissed. “I haven’t done anything. _He’s_ the one who did everything!” She gestured at Champ and Wynonna grabbed her shoulder.

“Easy.” She muttered and the turned back to Nedley with a grin. “Haught’s been here all night, sheriff, Waverly can vouch for her.” Wynonna was used to getting out of this kind of conversation with a few quick excuses. If she hadn’t been terrified, Nicole would have smiled to hear Wynonna Earp on her side. “I can too.”

Nedley turned to Champ and muttered something. He only nodded before lifting up his sweater and exposing deep red and purple bruising all down his rib cage.

Wynonna’s mouth dropped. “Holy shit, Haught.” She said.

“We were all at the party last night. I knew some kids were using, so I was trying to keep out of it. Nicole was supplying.” Champ said, his lie was well rehearsed and he even threw in a few perfectly timed sniffles to win everybody over. “I knew it was no good, but I guess her trip turned pretty nasty.” Nedley patted his shoulder. “I was just happy to see Nicole out again, having fun like she used to.” He shuddered a fake shudder. “But then she flipped, kicked the shit out of me outside the Jones’ place.”

That’s why hadn’t cleaned himself, Nicole closed her hands into fists. He was trying to play the victim. He’d actually gone to the fucking cops after everything he’d done.

“Me and Nicole are friends, Sheriff.” Champ licked his lips. “I just wanna see everything put right.”

“Can you confirm you were at the party, Haught?” Nedley asked, taking out a notepad.

Nicole shook her head, unable to process anything that had just been said.

“Haught, we need the truth.”

Nicole lunged at Champ. Wynonna grabbed onto her and pushed back, holding her by the doorway. There was a good five foot difference now between them and the calvary. Nicole could barely breathe, every part of her body was shaking so bad. “I’ll _give_ you the fucking truth, Champ Hardy!” She yelled, struggling against Wynonna’s grasp.

“I wasn’t even sure she’d remember, she was so flaked out.” Champ added, waving the minute details away. He looked convincingly shell-shocked, really traumatized and all that. “She grabbed my wallet, nicked all my cash.”

“You can’t prove that was me.” Nicole wheezed, tears spilling over. “You can’t.” She turned back to her parents who were clutching each other. “I wouldn’t do that, I’d never.” Her voice broke. Neither one looked like they especially believed her. She spun to Nedley. “You can’t prove it.”

The sheriff inhaled sharply. “So you wouldn’t mind us searching your person for the missing cash?”

“Of course!” She laughed, zipping open the hoodie. “Search away, why wouldn't I-”

She stopped.

The money. The drugs. Oh God.

Nicole slammed the hoodie shut again.

Wynonna’s eyes bulged out of her head. “Nicole.” She said at a hush. “You didn’t do it, did you?”

“Haught.” Nedley said, cautiously. “What’s in the hoodie?”

Nicole bit her tongue hard, trying to draw blood. Everything went right just before it went wrong. It was like that terrible cliche in reverse. As far as Nicole could tell, the true moments of light were shrouded by absolute pits of despair. She could barely remember Waverly’s kiss.

“Nicole, please.” Her dad said, finally looking at her. She’d been hoping for his glance earlier but now, Nicole hated the way he was looking at her, hated the way everybody was looking at her. Even Wynonna had shifted, nervousness in the glint of her eyes. “We just want to help you.”

Nicole reached into her pockets and pulled out the cash and the acid, dropping them in Nedley’s outstretched palm. Nicole’s mom let out a sob, her father inhaled, turning away. “Okay.” Nicole said, expressionless. “I guess I’ll be arrested now please.” Wynonna could only watch as the cops turned her around and put her in the backseat of Nedley’s squad car. They paused briefly to talk to the Haughts before Nedley and his men drove off into the blinding whiteness.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you may have noticed this fic now has an end in sight! eleven chaps, so four more after this one. 
> 
> if you liked it, please please leave a comment. they make the writing easy :)


	8. 888888

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i have some bad news:
> 
> tomorrow, i'm starting my freshmen year of college (not bad on its own) but as a result, the updates will be coming slightly less frequently. i have most of the next chapter written and the rest of the story planned, but i just know i'm about to get crazy busy so i don't want anybody to think i've disapeared! 
> 
> but i'm not about to abandon all of you guys :) i love writing this fic and it seriously decreases stress levels. but the new chapters will probably come every 2/3 weeks rather than once a week. sorry but thats just how life works sometimes!! you all are wonderful readers so i hope you understand !

\--

 

Waverly blasted into the Purgatory County Municipal Police Station, her eyes glowing red. Officer Lonnie Clayton, who was currently stationed behind the front desk, dropped his muffin. He’d never seen Waverly with anything less than a smiley disposition.

“Ms. Earp?” He said, cautiously, “Everything alright?”

Waverly slammed a gloved hand down on the desk, making him flinch. “Where is she?” Her voice was low and tempered.

“Who?” Lonnie gulped, very grateful for the foot-and-a-half of wood separating him from the tiny Earp girl.

“You know damn well who, Lonnie.” Waverly hissed. She glanced around the near-empty station house. It was barely seven in the morning and most of the other officers hadn’t arrived yet. Lonnie took a fair share of early shifts, him being a rookie officer. “I need to get into see Nicole Haught.”

Lonnie sniffed, he’s been afraid of that. Nedley had given very strict instructions to not let the Earp girls anywhere near Nicole Haught. The sheriff hadn’t explained his thinking yet but Lonnie knew better than to question his boss when his mustache wrinkled with such a vigor. He smoothed his hair down and offered a smile.

“I don’t think she’s available for visitors.” Lonnie said, trying to hide his worry. Waverly looked furious, more than capable of ripping through the police station to get what she wanted. He’d been to those pep rallies, he’d worked a few football games as security: she was not someone to be trifled with. Purgatory cheerleading was no joke. “You’ll have to come back later.”

Waverly narrowed her eyes and let out a growl. At the same time, Wynonna Earp came through the front doors looking exhausted. She had two cups of coffee in her hands. Lonnie’s eyes got wider. He could barely handle one Earp on a good day, but two? It’d take a SWAT team to hold them down.

“Alright, Lonnie.” She said, coming up behind her sister. “We want to see Haughtshit.”

“Don’t call her that!” Waverly said, turning some of her fire away from the deputy for a moment. “She hates it.”

Wynonna sighed. “We want to see Nicole, then.” She took a sip from one drink, swallowed, and then quickly took a sip from the other.

“You have to let us in.” Waverly insisted, and Lonnie felt the flames licking his face again.

“Now, girls.” He cleared his throat. “Ms. Haught is still in a private cell. The sheriff thinks it’d be best to keep it that way for now.”

Waverly spun away, putting her head in her hands. “A cell… Jesus Christ, Wynonna. They have her in a _cell_.” She turned back to Lonnie with venom in her voice. “Nicole’s not a hardened criminal! She’s an eighteen year old girl!”

“We got her under suspicion of assault and possession with intent to sell.” Lonnie explained. Wynonna set both coffee cups down on the edge of his desk. “Can’t just let her wander around the station now, can we?”

Waverly started to argue back but Wynonna put a hand on her shoulder, silencing the younger Earp. “Come on, buddy.” She said, “Give us fifteen minutes and we’ll get out of your hair.”

Lonnie held still, but his fingers were twitching. “Sheriff wouldn’t like that.” He’d brought in Wynonna once or twice but she’d been drunk and easy to manipulate. She seemed sober now, even more terrifying.

Wynonna noticed the nerves and a smirk came over her lips. “Lonnie.” She extended the ‘ie’, “You don’t want to know the kind of morning I’ve had.” Explaining the situation to a recently sobered Waverly had not been the easiest task, especially with her wanting to run out the door and rescue Nicole on every beat. Wynonna dropped her hands down and leaned over the desk. “Let my sister see her friend.”

Waverly watched Wynonna work her Wynonna magic and let the same thoughts she’d been having all morning creep back into her head. Nicole sitting on that damn concrete floor, drained out, all because of her. Her stomach started rolling. She had to see Nicole, if only to make sure she was still there at all.

“I told you, Ms. Earp, it’s just not possible.” Lonnie’s voice became a little more insistent.

“How’s your mother doing, Lonnie?” Wynonna asked, innocence washing her tone. She drummed her nails on the desktop. “How’s her foot?”

Lonnie tilted his head. “My mother?”

“Yeah, old Mrs. Clayton, how she’s doing?”

“Better. She’s doing better.” Lonnie rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Although, she prefers not to be called ‘Old Mrs. Clayton’. Why are you asking?”

“Why?” She laughed. Waverly recognized it as the same laugh she’d given to administrators before dropping out of high school, a dangerous fake laugh. Wynonna was a better liar than she was a sister, but for the first time in a while, Waverly sure was glad to have that Wynonna on her side. “Do I need a reason to ask about her?”

“It doesn’t seem that relevant, Earp.” His eyes flitted towards Waverly, who didn’t look at him. There was a dreadful anticipation lingering between the three parties. Lonnie and Waverly waited for Wynonna’s cruel plan, whatever it was, to snap into place.

“I’m always thinking about her these days.” Wynonna continued, looking at her chipped nails. “She was in a real tough place the last time I was in town, it’s hard not to think that one big shock could-” she made a popping sound with her lips, “-knock the old lady over.”

“Wynonna.” Lonnie warned. “Watch your mouth.”

“Like!” She stopped him, “For example, if she found out where her son, her _police officer son_ , was spending his off-nights.”

Lonnie froze, terror subsuming him. Waverly raised her eyebrows, suddenly interested to see where this was going.

“Does Pussy Willows ring a bell?”

Lonnie swore, turning his eyes away from the young women in front of him.

Wynonna sucked her teeth. “Seems like it might.”

“How’d you know?”

“Does it matter?” Wynonna said, too quickly. “Let us see Nicole, Lonnie, or you’ll have to explain to that walking geriatrics clinic why you visit a strip club twice a week.” Wynonna glanced back at Waverly, who smiled. Even with her heart frying, Waverly had to admire the duplicitous power her sister held over the men of this town.

Lonnie took in two short breaths and picked up his keys.

“You get fifteen minutes.” He was curt. “No more.”

Waverly nodded, a touch of relief flowing through her. “That’s fine, that’s perfect.” It wasn’t perfect, Waverly would have preferred to stay there all day, wrapped around Nicole. She was the one who should have been locked up anyways.

Lonnie fumbled, to find the right keys, making his way toward the closed doorway. His mother would never forgive him if she knew about his worst habits. The door swung open and Lonnie motioned to Waverly. She gave Wynonna a look, mouth twisted.

“Pussy Willows?” She asked, only sort-of wanting an answer.

“Cash was tight.” Wynonna shrugged.

Waverly laughed. “Thanks, Wynonna. Thanks a lot.”

“Tick-tock.” Lonnie said, checking outside for any other cars in the parking lot.

Waverly squeezed her sister’s hand and made her way through the cell hall. The doors swung shut and Wynonna was left alone. She kept her eyes on the vacant desk, picking both of her coffees back up and sitting down in one of the hard wooden chairs they make you wait in if your loved one is a criminal. It was like stone. She took a drink from the first coffee, the one mixed with whiskey, and then a sip from the one mixed with Redbull.

“Yeah, you’re welcome.”

 

 

Nicole was lying flat out on the concrete. Her knee hurt.

Surprise, surprise.

She was punishing herself on purpose this time. Sure, she may not have done the thing they were accusing her of, but she’d done enough to make everything balance out. Nicole rolled her neck out, trying to alleviate the headache. They were planning on taking her to Calgary to be arraigned but the courts were closed on Sunday so she had until tomorrow. Twenty-four hours to right all her wrongs and make peace with God and the devil.

Her parents had wanted to bring her home (she wouldn’t have run) but Nedley said some time in the cell could do her good. So she remained on the floor as the ceiling went concave. It’d been eighteen hours since her arrest, sixteen since Nedley had put her in the cell.

The prospect of jail time used to terrify Nicole, now though, it almost seemed like a nice break from the rest of it. Her parents wouldn’t be there to stare like that; Champ wasn’t around; no Wynonna to be sarcastic. Even the never-ending thoughts of Waverly seemed to quiet inside cell walls.

The door to the hall opened with a bang and Waverly rushed in, shrouded in fluorescent light.

Nicole blinked, pulling herself into a sitting position.

Nevermind.

“Jesus.” Waverly said, walking towards the bars. “You couldn’t put a chair in here? She’s injured, you know that? She’s disabled.”

Officer Clayton, who Nicole assumed she was talking to, entered second and gave an impartial shrug. “She gives you any trouble, just yell and I’ll be back in a second.” He clicked open the latch.

Waverly stepped in, refusing to remove her eyes from Nicole. The door shut with a sound she recognized from crime movies and Lonnie turned the key. He gave both girls one last look before making his way back to the station office.

Then it was quiet. Waverly looked like she’d been wondering if she would ever get to see Nicole again.

“We have to stop meeting like this.” Nicole said, ignoring the pain in her knee. Waverly didn’t smile, she already had tears in her eyes.

Nicole gestured around. “Like, in a jail cell.” She added.

“I got it.” Waverly slumped down next to her, any semblance of safety room was blasted to hell. They were scooched up against one of the three stone walls, shoulder to shoulder. Her palm immediately went to Nicole’s and their fingers interlaced like velcro. Just as she’d done while tripping, Waverly brought their looped hands to her lips and let them sit there, not saying anything.

“Guess we should get used to conjugal visits.”

Waverly sobbed out a laugh. “You’re such an asshole.”

Nicole smiled. Waverly’s breath was warm on her hands. She smelled lovely, like she’d just taken a shower. Her damp hair confirmed it.

“I’m mortified about yesterday, I hope you know that.” Waverly said, words muffled. “That’s not who I am at all.”

“Do you remember most of it?” Nicole asked, face turning a little red. She was hoping everything Waverly did (and attempted to do) had fallen to the wayside.

“Actually, yeah.” Waverly answered, disappearing into her shoulder. Her free hand went to Nicole’s bicep, locking them in place. “Unfortunately.”

“Oh.”

They got quiet again and Nicole felt a few more tears drip down Waverly’s face. They were just as hot as they’d been the other night.

Nicole was getting used to being cried on.

She lifted her hand from Waverly’s grasp, prompting a small noise of protest which was easily silenced as she came right back to Waverly’s chin and tugged upwards. They tilted into each other. Waverly’s lips tasted even better than at the party, freshly glossed and shining.

She got herself ready for you, Nicole thought, she made herself up to visit you in jail.

Waverly responded immediately, moving her hand to Nicole’s cheek. It was an awkward position, kissing side by side like that, so Waverly pulled herself up and over and eased back down onto Nicole’s lap, making sure she wasn’t causing undue pressure on the knee. Nicole’s whole body seized up.

“I don’t want you getting hurt.” Waverly whispered, drawing a line down her neck. She was kneeling on top of the criminal, cowgirl style. Her hips were raised just enough to reveal terribly precious skin to Nicole’s sightline. “Well, hurt any worse.”

She looked up at Waverly’s face; somehow glowing in the dark cell room. The tear stains only seemed to accentuate the angles of her face, like a fountain.

“Yeah.” Nicole croaked, unromantically.

Waverly leaned forward and they were kissing again. Nicole’s hands went to her side, eager to feel everything. With the added experience of one makeout session in a locked bathroom, Nicole fancied herself quite the Waverly Earp expert and slunk her fingers down to squeeze the flesh exposed by the impractical skirt she’d picked out. Five degrees outside and she was wearing a miniskirt and knee-high boots; only Waverly Earp. The contact made a moan slip through their locked mouths and Nicole found herself hushing Waverly, should Officer Clayton reappear and cut everything short.

“Sorry.” Waverly exhaled sharply. “Wh- Where’d you learn to do that, huh?”

Nicole grinned. “From the best.”

“Charming.” Waverly combed through Nicole’s hair. “Very charming.” Her fingers then decided to do some traveling of their own, down Nicole’s shirt and then back up it, tracing the insides with renewed intensity. “I can be charming too.”

Nicole shivered. “I bet.”

Their lips met each other and Waverly let loose on Nicole’s skin, causing goosebumps every which way. They were clumsy, not quite knowledgeable about each other or girls in general, but after sixteen hours on the floor, Nicole took everything without complaint. Waverly’s hands found her breasts through the too-thick fabric of her sports bra. Before she could say anything, fingers tugged underneath, shakily grabbing at her nipples.

Nicole’s breathing turned rapid and she latched onto the small of Waverly’s back, muttering little things. The noises that came out of that pretty throat only made Waverly pick up speed, squeezing and pulling and enjoying every sound.

“It drove me crazy:” Waverly said into her neck, “waiting. I barely knew I was waiting.”

She brought their foreheads together, letting Nicole catch her breath.

“Does that feel good?” Waverly asked, anxious.

Nicole let out a shaky breath. “Yeah, yeah.” She traced Waverly’s face. “God, you feel good.” They were very lucky to have the hall to themselves, the moment could pass without any hooting or hollering. “I want to make you feel good.”

Nicole’s actions were almost unconscious, her fingers slipping underneath the skirt and skimming the the edges of the underwear Waverly had chosen to bring to jail. They felt lacey, something you’d wear with a goal in mind.

Waverly choked, grasping Nicole’s frame even harder. “Fuck.”

“Is that okay?” Nicole asked, scared to push anything too far.

Waverly nodded vigorously. “Yeah.” She smiled. “Very okay.”

So Nicole kept it moving, rubbing her hand against what she knew from personal experience was the right spot. Waverly shuddered, another string of expletives emerging. She’s so wet, Nicole realized, arousal bubbling in her stomach. Waverly’s fancy underwear didn’t stand a chance, ruined within minutes. She was grinding down hard on her hand, desperate for more, so Nicole kept the friction up.

“Nicole…” She rasped out, “Keep going.”

She did. Soon, remaining on the outside of the fabric didn’t seem possible.

“Waverly.” Nicole said, struggling to keep her voice under control. “Can I…?”

Waverly gave a shallow sigh and said yes. Or Nicole thought she said ‘yes’. It could have been another word, Nicole barely heard her. The intention was clear though.

She slipped her hand underneath and made contact with the real flesh of Waverly’s heat, running her fingers through the silky wet mess. Waverly’s tone changed entirely, what was a slow burn had become a firecracker.

“Oh Jesus Christ.”

“Is that good?” Nicole’s fingers kept working. “I don’t really know what to-”

Waverly cut her off, pressing her lips shut. Their tongues found each other again, slipping back and forth. It was a feeling Nicole couldn’t really imagine ever getting tired of.

“You’re doing great, baby.” Waverly’s voice was breathy and slow. “So… great…”

She broke off again and then she was whining. Nicole’s fingers pressed further and further and before she knew it, she was inside of Waverly.

The girl on top of her made a cry.

“Yes.” She was looking at the ceiling. “I’m so close! Oh!”

Nicole’s eyes were spotty. They were not in a comfortable position, her ass was aching against the concrete and her back was arched in a weird way. She didn’t notice any of it. All she could feel was Waverly’s orgasm building against her fingers.

“God!” Waverly said, bucking softly as she feeling hit her. “Oh my God!”

They rode it out together. Nicole’s fingers slowed, she was seeing visions, though Waverly might have seen a few more. She brought her hand back out from under the skirt, it was wet and shaking. Everything smelled like sex.

“Oh God.” Waverly became still and leaned forward against Nicole. Her breath was still hitching on every other syllable. “God.”

The sound echoed around the cell hall.

“Did that just happen?” Nicole asked finally.

Waverly didn’t answer. It was obvious.

Everything was still slow as Waverly came back down to Earth. She had hoped to feel somewhat full, like that single moment could have lasted her, but knowing the sensation, having memory of it and being unable to bring Nicole home, left her emptier than ever.

“I didn’t really want our first time to be in a jail cell.” She admitted, rubbing Nicole’s cheek with her thumb. Waverly was still on top. “I blame you.”

“But, you were thinking about our first time?” Nicole teased, feeling her strength grow every second she wasn’t alone. Waverly shoved her, a smile not-so-well hidden on her lips. Nicole rubbed the evidence between her fingers. “I’m sure Lonnie’s gonna be curious about why it smells like…” She gesticulated, “…when he gets back.”

Waverly raised her eyebrows and reached down into her bra. When her hand returned, she was holding a travel-sized bottle of febreze.

Nicole started laughing.

“Look, I’m prepared for anything.” Waverly said plainly. “I’m kind of a planner.”

“You are so bad.” Nicole said, wheezing.

Waverly winked. “You love it.” She watched Nicole laugh harder at that and let a few giggles out herself. It was a blessing, Nicole’s laugh, and she’d never cut her off. Waverly ran her fingers up and down the exposed skin and hummed.

This really wasn’t her ideal first time with Nicole.

She’d planned that too. She pictured them somewhere safe, somewhere with an actual bed and blankets and soft lighting that picked up all the nuance of Nicole’s skin. She’d had a better plan than this one, but it would have to do for now.

“I want you in my bed.” Waverly admitted. “I want you out of here.”

Nicole became quiet, then leaned in and left another kiss on Waverly’s forehead. Waverly picked up the spray bottle and squeezed two or three times. Soon, everything smelled like fresh laundry, with only a hint of sex if you were searching for it.

“There.” Nicole smiled.

Waverly nodded, missing the old smell. “There.”

“Look,” Nicole said, shuffling her weight around. “You still shouldn’t have come by. You could get in a lot of trouble.”

“Of course I was gonna come.” Waverly bit back, a little hurt. “It’s my fault you’re in here.”

Nicole stared at Waverly.

“What?”

Waverly pulled herself up, grabbing the walls to balance as she rose. She stuck a hand out to Nicole, who accepted, shuffling to her feet.

“How’s the knee?” Waverly asked, full of genuine concern.

Nicole steadied herself on the shorter girl’s shoulders. “Been better.” She grimaced.

“I’m sure being in here isn’t helping.” Waverly fixed a smudge of lip gloss on Nicole’s face. “They only got you because of Champ, because of what _I_ did at the party.” She stepped away from Nicole, twisting the edge of her sweater. “If I’d kept my cool, he probably wouldn’t have done this.”

“Kept your cool?” Nicole limped towards her. “Waverly, he tried to rape you.”

“Don’t say that.” Waverly rushed out, “Please.”

Nicole huffed. “It’s true. You can’t let him off the hook.”

“It’s not like that. I was fine.” Waverly squeezed Nicole’s hand so tight that her knuckles cracked. “I barely remember it.” She swallowed the sick feeling back down her throat, like she’d been doing since learning the truth a few days prior.

Nicole saw the terror in her eyes and dropped it. Not now.

“We need to get you out of here. Chrissy and I were both there, we’ll tell everybody the truth.” Waverly said, switching into battle plan mode. “We’ll make it better.”

“No!” Nicole said, letting go of her hand. “You can’t.”

“Yes!” Waverly exclaimed. “He’s lying! We’re not about to stay quiet!”

“Then what? Nedley puts you in here with me?”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Nedley’s not gonna throw me in jail.” She pulled Nicole close, reaching for her arm. “We just have to explain the situation, let everyone know what happened. The sheriff, Chrissy’s dad, he’s not a bad man.”

“It’s not about that.” Nicole grit her teeth. “Waverly, there’s no explaining what happened. Not for me.”

Waverly stopped. “What do you mean?”

Nicole took a deep breath, breaking away again. She put her hand against the wall, her knee was burning. “They found all that acid on me, Waves, and the money. Right now, they’re at my house finding the rest of it.” She rubbed her forehead. “I have a lot of extra product stored around.”

Waverly bit her lip, still thinking. “Okay, but the assault-!”

“He doesn’t care about the assault. He doesn’t need it. With the drugs, he’s already got me.” Nicole finished, the dull ache was becoming unbearable.

Waverly shook her head. “We can opt for rehab or something, you’re only eighteen, nobody would convict you.”

“There’s not gonna be a conviction, or a trial.” Nicole’s voice was raw. She was repeating these words, Waverly could tell. This is probably what Nedley had explained to her last night. “I’m just going to Calgary on Monday and pleading guilty. Then they’ll sentence me.”

“Sentence you?” Waverly paced away, still looking for a solution in that big brain. “For what, jail time?”

“I could get away with a year, but probably not.” Nicole slumped back down to the floor. “Mandatory minimum sentencing laws.”

“A year?” Waverly stopped still. Her breathing was getting quite heavy now, like it had done moments earlier. This time though, there was no joy in the sound. “A fucking _year_? In prison?”

Nicole nodded. “Maybe.”

“No no no no no no.” She muttered. “No, this is not how it’s supposed to happen.”

“Waverly.” Nicole stretched her muscles out, trying desperately to relieve the pain. “There’s nothing we can do.”

“Bullshit.” Waverly glared at her. “I can’t believe you’re about to take this lying down.”

“Kind of hard to stand in general right now.” She pointed to her leg. “The knee.”

“Nicole!” Waverly was yelling now, her voice strained. “This is the rest of your life we’re talking about!” She yanked Nicole’s arm, trying to pull her back up. “Fight for it! Fight for yourself!”

“Is this the motivational speech portion of jail?” Nicole let herself be pulled to her feet. “I’m bad at those.”

Waverly didn’t flinch. “I don’t want to be mad at you right now.” She said, refusing to take her eyes off Nicole. “But I’m not going to let you rot in jail because you don’t care enough about yourself to try.” She paused, thinking it over. “I like you too much to let that happen.”

Nicole turned her gaze back up.

“That much, huh?”

Waverly laughed, astonished.

A knock on the door signaled their time was short.

“You know, when I asked you the other week,” she paused, “God it seems like forever ago. Remember when I asked you what you liked about me? At the Price Chopper?”

Nicole smiled. “Yeah, yeah, of course.”

“Well,” Waverly had tears in her eyes and snot running down her nose. “I never got to say what I like about you.” She wiped at her face, cleaning a strand of hair away. “Cause I like you, Nicole. A lot.”

“Yeah.” Nicole was crying now too, she hadn’t cried in a while. Well, not including yesterday. “I like you too.”

“Shh.” Waverly thumped her hand down on Nicole’s chest. “Shh, let me talk.” She paused for a minute, gathering her thoughts. Waverly wanted to say everything right the first time. “Well, you’re funny. Terribly funny.” She cleared her nose again. “And you shock me with that big heart of yours every time, Nicole Haught.” Waverly stepped into Nicole, her lips in kissing range again. “You don’t see the best in people, kinda the opposite.” She swallowed. “You see the worst in me, but you don’t care. You like me anyways.” She smiled a snotty smile. “That’s pretty refreshing.”

Nicole nodded. And then nodded harder.

“Plus, you’re really hot.” Waverly finished and Nicole got lost in the smile. The knock on the door sounded a second time and Waverly shot forward to kiss her. She tasted salty from the tears.

The door opened and they separated. Nedley walked in, followed by William Haught.

“I’m gonna fix this.” Waverly whispered, though everyone could still hear her. “I am.”

“Ms. Earp.” Nedley said, “Very sorry about that. Officer Clayton should not have let anybody back here.”

“It’s okay,” she started, “we kind of blackmailed him.” Waverly wiped her eyes.

Nedley sighed. “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.” He opened the cell door and Waverly gingerly stepped out.

Nicole’s dad spoke up just as she was leaving.

“You’re Waverly, then?” He said and she stopped, turning around. “We haven’t formally met. I’m William Haught, people call me Bill.”

He put out his hand.

Waverly went stiff, slyly wiping hers down on her sweater before taking accepting the handshake. “Waverly Earp.”

Her dad looked at Nicole, she was like a ghost. “Thanks for taking care of our girl this fall.” He sniffed. “She, uh, she needed it.”

Waverly’s smile broke out. “Of course.” She looked at Nicole again. “I care about her a lot.” Her eyes went back to his and Bill Haught nodded.

“Well, thanks again.”

She stole one more glance at Nicole and left the hall.

 

 

Wynonna met her by the entrance.

“Jesus, you’re a wreck.” She commented. Waverly didn’t react, pushing ahead of her sister and moving towards her parking spot. She already had her keys out.

“Um, so, where to now?” Wynonna asked, her eyebrows raised.

“I have to pay a visit to my ex.” Waverly yanked the front door open and slammed with such ferocity that the Honda civic next to them started sounding its alarm. Wynonna followed, getting in shotgun. With both doors closed, Waverly let the best part of her plan slip out. “Let’s stop by the homestead first. We gotta grab peacemaker.”

Wynonna smiled.

“Atta girl.”

 

\--

 

They tried a few locations before finding Champ out in the fields behind Curtis’ farm. He was seated on the hood of his dad’s truck, lighting up pieces of straw and watching them flare out into the snow. Waverly imagined Curtis and Gus were still asleep, bless them.

Champ saw their car approach but didn’t stop. The click of his lighter echoed across the frozen pasture. The Earp girls emerged from Waverly’s car and he smiled a blindingly white smile.

“Champ.”

“Hey Waves.”

“Are you a practicing Bond villain now?” Wynonna cut in, her arms crossed in front of her. Her coat was just bulky enough to hide their surprise.“Or is this just normally how you spend your time, Hardy?”

The smile turned sour. “Hi Wynonna.”

Waverly’s feet were sinking into the snow, but she kept moving towards him. “You told a lie, Champ.” The wind cut through all three of them. Purgatory was always cold to a degree, but Waverly couldn’t remember a year where it had stormed like this before Thanksgiving. “You got my friend in trouble.”

“Oh, she’s a _friend_ now?” Champ lit another piece of straw ablaze and let it drop. The flame ran up, turning everything it could to ashe before disappearing twice as fast.

Waverly ignored the comment and hoped Wynonna wouldn’t think too much of it.

“You’re gonna come down to the station with us,” she continued, “and make it better.”

Champ scoffed. “Look,” he started, holding onto that prettyboy grin. “The fact is, Haughtshit is already fucked. Just ‘cause I added a few extra details to the story doesn’t mean those weren’t her drugs.”  

“Do _not_ call her that!” Waverly took a step towards him.

Champ whistled. “So defensive.”

“You’re going to tell Nedley the whole truth.” Waverly repeated. “You’re gonna tell her parents how you lied. You’re gonna own up to all of your shit.”

“No.” He spit in the snow and Waverly wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think so, Earp.” That evil smile came back one more time. “You can’t make me.”

Waverly said nothing, her teeth chattered.

They stared at each other for a minute, nobody willing to blink. Then Waverly turned away, stopping only to whisper something to Wynonna and then heading back to the car. Her sister grinned.

She was on.

“Alright, Chump.” Wynonna made her way over to him, her steps were slow and heavy as she waddled through the snow. “Y’ever hear the one about peacemaker?”

Champ got a stupid expression on his face. “Peacemaker?” He snorted. “You gonna threaten me with a busted old pistol, Wynonna?”

The middle Earp arrived at the hood of Champ’s ugly truck and pulled her coat open.

“Nah, man.”

A wicked looking baseball bat appeared and slammed down with a fury right next to Champ’s unprotected fingers. An inch or two to the left and he might not have maintained use of that hand for the rest of his natural life.

The bat gleamed with misuse.

It was a standard forty-inch playable club with ‘P.M.’ carved in the side like a warning. The hood buckled beneath Wynonna’s force.

Champ hollered, shooting off the car and landing face down in the snow.

“See, kid.” Wynonna turned, slugging the bat over her shoulder like an MLB pro. “My daddy wasn’t always the kindest when he was still alive. Sometimes he got drunk, and sometimes when he got drunk, he got mean.” She whipped the bat at his head, missing by a foot. Champ ducked, letting out another yelp.

From thirty feet back, Waverly grinned.

“Sometimes, he’d hit my momma, sometimes, he’d hit us.” Wynonna kept moving towards him. Champ fumbled in the snow, he could barely stand back up.

“You Earps are fuckin’ insane.” Champ slipped again, securing his place in the frozen Earth.

Wynonna shrugged. “Oh yeah. Haven’t you heard? We’re cursed.” She swung back at the truck, blasting a light out. Glass exploded outwards. Champ ducked, covering his eyes. “Now lemme finish my story.”

Champ put his hands up, his fingers were turning blue. “Fine! Fine! Finish the story.”

Wynonna exhaled, brushing a shard off the barrel. “Thank you.” She pulled her boot out of the snow and landed it on the bumper. “See, one time, my momma had taken just about enough of Ward Earp’s bullshit. She decided to go out and buy herself a present, a decent little something to remind him exactly who he was.” Her fingers gripped around the handle like a word-class pianist might brush their keys; Waverly loved watching an artist at work. “She came home that day, and all it took was one. Swing.” Wynonna smashed the other light out. Champ screamed. “Daddy didn’t hit us anymore.” She tilted her head. “He didn’t do much of anything anymore, since he wasn’t alive.”

Champ’s jaw slacked.

“Bullshit.”

“You willing to bet?” Wynonna started towards Champ again, who was crawling backwards like a centipede. Waverly could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes. That was a sight.

“The moral here being: don’t fuck with Earp women.” She leaned over Champ, a smile on her face. “You fucked with my little sister, huh?”

Champ shook his head. “I didn’t mean to-”

Wynonna grabbed him by the collar, lifting his sorry ass up out of the snow. “Get in the goddamn car, Champ.” She landed the ‘p’ on his face, the spit froze on his cheek. “And I might leave your brains inside your head when we get back.”

She dropped him. Champ scrambled away, running towards the car like a whipped dog. He blew past Waverly without looking at her, as if the single look of contempt she had for him was even worse than Wynonna’s bat. She got back in the front seat, unlocking the doors.

“I do love getting to bring peacemaker out.” Wynonna kissed the bat’s handle, hopping into shotgun for the ride to the station. “Doesn’t happen nearly often enough.”

Waverly kept her eyes on the boy in the backseat and started the engine.

“That’s some kinda bullshit story about momma, though.” Waverly muttered.

Wynonna only smiled.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly if we've learned anything from season 2, its that waves and nicole will get down to it anytime, any place
> 
> comments make the writer happy :) :) :)


	9. 999999

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im back!!! here you go kids!!!! 
> 
> this one was really hard, i'm not gonna lie. i hope it feels right. we're closing in on the last couple beats here!   
> i really hope you all like it ahhh!

\-- 

 

Bill Haught was seated just outside the bars with a paper cup in his hands. He held tight to it, like a drowning man to an insufficient life vest. Nicole watched him fiddle with the rim, picking at the cardboard. He wouldn’t look at her.

“Dad.” She tried.

His eyes flashed up at Nicole. “Sorry, kiddo.” He scooted the chair forward, grinding it against the concrete. “Sorry.”

They got quiet again, Nicole had no idea what to think. All she knew was she didn’t like how her dad was acting around her, like she might set off an explosion at any moment. It was an ugly thing, your own father being scared of you.

“We’ve contacted a lawyer.” He said, looking back at the cup.

“A lawyer?” Nicole tilted her head. “Who?”

“Some local woman; Constance Clootie.”

“What for?” She was leaning her sad knee up against the wall. It was hard to believe Waverly had been in her arms less than an hour ago. The light had shifted, now the cell hall was full of pale fluorescence. She tried not to think about Waverly’s small frame shuddering on top of her, but with the crime scene only a few feet away, it was easier said than done. “She can’t do much at this point.”

Her father shrugged. Nicole waited.

“She’s supposed to be good. Really good.”

Nicole snorted. “Is she ‘break you out of prison’ good?”

“Nicole.” Her dad interrupted, looking tired.

She shrank back. “Sorry.”

“We had to do something, call somebody.” He exhaled. “You think I’m about to see my little girl put behind bars and not _call_ somebody about it?” Nicole’s stomach started twisting, her dad wasn’t trying to hurt her but the words felt like stones in her gut. “I’m not that bad a parent.”

“Of course you’re not.” She shook her head. “You’re not bad at all.”

His smile got tight.

The circumstances dawned harder on Nicole.

She suddenly felt the need to clarify everything. “You didn’t do anything to put me in here.” Nicole stepped towards the gate, gripping her hands around the cool metal. “It was me.”

He waved his hands but Nicole didn’t drop it.

“I promise, dad, it’s all me. I’m the fuck-up here, not you.”

That didn’t seem to reassure him, so she let the silence come back, stepping away into the shadows. Nicole thought about how gross she must look, it had been a few days since her last shower. She wondered if her dad had noticed.

“I don’t like you talking about yourself like that.”

She looked back up at him.

“Huh?”

Her dad shook his head, rising from the foldable chair.

“You’re not a fuck-up, Nic.” The curse word sounded odd coming from his mouth, they rarely swore around the house. “Don’t say that.” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “Maybe I didn’t make this clear enough, but there was never a moment where I wasn’t sure you’d be brilliant at whatever you wanted to do next.”

Nicole froze.

His face seemed to darken, still not smiling. “You know, it hurt us when you tore your ACL, and it hurt us when they said you probably wouldn’t get to play anymore but that wasn’t because we had some vision of you on the court for the rest of your life. That didn’t scare me at all.”

“Dad.” Nicole tried to stop him.

“No, hold on a minute.” He put his hand out.

She quieted.

“It’s because you were hurting so bad. That’s what made it hard to watch.” He ran his fingers over his eyebrows, smoothing them down. They still got wild when he was agitated. “I never want you to think you were only worth something to us ‘cause you could toss a ball through a hoop.”

Nicole bit her lip. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever been good at.”

“Bull.” He said. “You know that’s bull.”

“Well, what, dad?” She countered. “I’m useless at history and science and math and art and music.” Every discarded option felt heavier on her tongue. “I even sucked at selling drugs.”

“You’ll figure it out. We know you will.”

Nicole looked hard at him. “What if I don’t.”

Her dad leaned in, reaching between the bars to touch Nicole. She met him halfway, letting her fingers get wrapped up in his. He still had bigger hands than her, even after the growth spurt. “You will.”

His grip stung a little, but Nicole squeezed back just as tight.

“I loved watching you play, Nic.” He smiled. “But I’d watch you do anything.”

“Are you gonna watch me sit in jail?”

Nicole regretted the comment as soon as it left her mouth but she couldn’t help asking. Especially now that they both knew where this path was leading.

Her dad flinched but recovered quickly. “Of course.” He had a few old tears in his eyes. “You’re my daughter. Of course I would.”

Nicole couldn’t fight him anymore. She was always going to lose.

“Okay.” She leaned against the bars. Bill Haught looked at her with a terrible mixture of pride and sorrow but said nothing.

They could hear Lonnie’s radio station through the thick walls and would have sat in that fizzy wash of sound awhile longer but Nedley arrived to deliver more bad news. He entered through the front and started talking before either of them realized he was there.

“Alright.” Nicole and her father both jumped, stepping away from each other. “We’ve finished the search. Officer Clayton can speak to you just outside, Mr. Haught.” He looked at Nicole. “I’d like to talk one-on-one with your daughter.”

Bill Haught flashed a look backwards.

“Go on, dad.” Nicole said.

He nodded and moved out of the room, his chair staying upright. Nedley leaned on it as the door shut behind him and Nicole was left alone. The setup reminded her of the first night she’d spent in jail; the lines on the sheriff’s face seemed only deeper.

“Well, Haught.” He started, removing his stetson. “You were running quite the operation.”

“Sheriff, I-”

“Hold on.” Nedley stopped her. “I’m trying to help you out here, kid, but you have got to let me speak.”

Nicole shut up quick, glancing down to her stinging knee.

“Putting aside what Champ said happened the other night,” he paused, “there’s a lot of damn product in that evidence room, Haught.”

Nicole put her head against the wall.

“I’d still guess a guilty plea is gonna earn you the best deal, especially if you end up giving any helpful details.” Nedley picked up the empty water cup left by her father and threw it in the nearby receptacle. “Your employers might be of interest to the province.”

Nicole squinted.

“You mean I should rat them out.”

He turned back towards her. “That’s one way of putting it.”

“Doesn’t seem right.”

Nedley paused, tilting his head. He landed his hand back on the cheap metal. “Aren’t they the ones who got you locked up?”

“They’re also the ones who made me all that money.”

“Rats tend towards survival, Haught.” Nedley slid the chair across the floor, the terrible grind echoing throughout the hall. “Mice with principles tend towards being caught.” He paused. “That’d make you a better cop than a criminal.”

Nicole smiled, uneasy. “I doubt I’d be much of a cop, sheriff.”

Nedley brought the chair to a halt, a faraway look in his eye.

“Sheriff?” Nicole said, shuffling off her bad leg.

“Gimme a minute.”

He turned and walked back out into the offices. The automatic lights, sensing that someone had left the room, shut off, leaving Nicole alone in the dark. She held still.

A few minutes later, Nedley reemerged. The lights came back. Clutched in his hand was a stack of pamphlets, all colored a deep blue. “I was meaning to get these to you.” He was blushing now, Sheriff Nedley was actually blushing in front of her. “When I was a kid, I had no taste for rule-following, certainly not for the law.” He put the papers in Nicole’s grasp. “My daddy got me working in the stationhouse, things went on from there.”

Nicole looked at the text. ‘MAKE A DIFFERENCE’ glared at her in yellow font.

“Probably what you’d call an ‘unpaid internship’.” Nedley shrugged. “Not gonna tell you it straightened me out entirely, but it did set my mind on other things, more important things.”

It was a recruitment pamphlet, complete with images of attractive young officers with determined eyes and perfect smiles. Reasons to join the police force were listed in smaller blue lettering, along with some disclaimers about safety and insurance policies.

Nicole jolted back up. “You wanted me to intern… with you?” She asked, staring at the sheriff with wide eyes.

Nedley looked down. “Well, like I said, you’ve always been a good kid, even if you forgot it for awhile.” He put his hands back in his pockets. “I wanted to give you something else to focus on, after your injury.”

“You don’t think that injury might make it hard to run around chasing bad guys?” She asked, guard still up.

Nedley didn’t relent.

“Being a cop isn’t all chasing bad guys, Haught.”

That caught her by surprise and Nicole turned her attention back to the paper in front of her. On opening the pamphlet, more yellow words attacked. ‘JOIN TODAY’ and ‘SAVE LIVES’ and ‘BECOME THE BEST YOU CAN BE’. They seemed horribly cruel given the circumstances.

But Nicole started smiling.

“You really wanted me?” She crinkled the corners of the slick paper. “Like, you actually wanted _me_?”

Nedley nodded. “I’m not bringing it up to Champ, am I?”

Nicole laughed, a thick belly laugh. “But you caught me. I mean, I’m in jail. I’m a felon.” She motioned to the distance between the two of them. “Aren’t we on opposite teams?”

Nedley sat down in the chair.

“You’re looking at an arrested felon, right here.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped.

“No way.”

Nedley nodded, still gruff.

“What for?” Nicole asked.

Nedley let a sheepish smile overtake him. “I got in a lot of fights.” He admitted. “May have smoked a gram of pot here and there. Sold some too.” Nicole raised her eyebrows. “In my defense, it was the seventies.”

“Damn, sheriff.” She smirked. “You were a regular raggamuffin.”

He put his hands up. “I won’t deny it.”

“So what happened?”

Nedley scratched at his leg. “Got taken in by a local kid, fresh-faced rookie, spent three nights in jail and woke up to the charges being dropped. My daddy didn’t like the idea of his only son sitting in prison long term, but he was more than happy to let me stew.”

Nicole whistled.

“Uh-huh.” Nedley leaned back. “When I got out, Burt Tilhman, who was sheriff at the time, gave me the option to do manual labor or stay in the offices with him.” He gestured to his badge. “I think I made the right call.”

Nicole rubbed her nose, hard pressed to imagine the young, scruffy Randy Nedley. She shaped back his jowells, smoothed the skin while keeping his chubby cheeks and barrel chestedness. It wasn’t insane actually, when she put some thought into it.

“Those couple months just about saved me.” He continued. “When I got out of school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.”

Nicole looked back down at the pamphlet, the young woman on the cover shining up at her.

“I don’t know, man.” She said, giving him the papers back. “I never really thought of myself as a cop.”

Nedley’s mustache twisted up. “Maybe so.” He stuffed them back in his coat. “I only thought it might be good for you.”

Her smile got wider. “Well, it’s a little late now, but thanks, Nedley.”

The sheriff nodded, putting his hat back on. “Even with a conviction on your record, we got plenty of jobs available in the Purgatory. Cop or not.”

“A cop.” Nicole laughed to herself. “Huh.”

The door cracked open and they both turned towards the noise. “Nicole Haught?” Officer Clayton said, poking his head in. “Your lawyer is here.”

Nedley looked back at her. “You called a lawyer?” He asked. “Who?”

“My dad-…” She shook her head. “Constance Clootie, I think he said.”

“Clootie?” Nedley scuffled his chin. “Lord help us.”

 

 

Constance Clootie was dressed all in white, the color seemed to blend into her skin. She had a sharp shade of red on her lips and deep eyes that absorbed everything. She and Nicole’s dad had been muttering to each other but the conversation dissolved as the cuffed girl came towards them, Nedley holding the chain.

“Randall.” She said, politely.

“Constance.” Nedley huffed. “How unexpected.”

She smiled. “Come now, sheriff.” Clootie let go of her father’s arm. “Act happy to see me.”

“I didn’t know you still took defense cases.” He folded his arms. “Said they weren’t worth the trouble, if I remember correctly.”

“I’ll take anything if it’s interesting enough. You know that.” Clootie turned her focus down. “Nicole Haught, I imagine.”

Nicole felt uniquely nervous as the lawyer took her in, noting all the various positives and negatives that she could manipulate. Clootie held power well, that was obvious.

“Yeah.” Nicole said, her voice breaking.

“Constance Clootie.” She held out a card that Nicole couldn’t accept due to her being handcuffed.

“Nice to meet you.”

Nedley took the card for her and slid it in his jacket pocket.

“I saw you play once, if you can believe it.” Clootie continued, “Those courts are absolute gold mines for negligence suits.”

Nicole grimaced. “Glad you’re getting your money’s worth.”

Clootie stepped back, letting out a small laugh. “Aren’t you perfect?” She smiled, turning to Nedley. “I want my client out of this jailhouse and safe at home with her parents. She has school on Monday.”

A tumbleweed could have passed between them.

“So do I,” Nedley said, hesitant, “but I can’t exactly let her walk out of here. Nicole Haught’s under suspicion of assault and we’ve just confirmed a large ration of illegal substances on her person and in the home.” He still had his hand on Nicole’s shoulder.

Nicole’s eyes went back and forth between the two warring forces.

“The sheriff said it was best to keep her here.” Bill Haught stepping towards Clootie. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. She has a plea hearing tomorrow, correct?” Clootie asked and Nedley nodded. “I doubt you’ll have any trouble seeing her show up on time.” Her eyes gleamed.

Nedley coughed and the air grew thick.

“I think we all need to look out for my client’s safety and comfort. She’s physically disabled.” Clootie’s voice grew tight, revealing nothing. “All that time laid out on stone tiling can’t be good for that precious knee.”

Nicole wanted to say something about being called disabled but kept her mouth shut.

“I’d hate to bring up the stress my client has undergone because of investigative errors and police ignorance in court. Especially for an eighteen year old girl.”

Damn, she _was_ good.

“Constance.” Nedley’s words were slow, measured. “You aren’t seriously considering bringing this to court, are you?”

Clootie raised her eyebrows.

“Why wouldn’t I?” She smiled. “You know I only take cases I can win, Randall.”

Neither Clootie nor Nedley had blinked since entering the room. It was like watching two old coyotes fight for the alpha title. Before either one of them had the chance to pounce, the doors to the station swung open.

Cold air subsumed the offices. Everyone turned.

Waverly entered first, her lips were tight, her eyes focused hard on Nicole. Behind her, Champ clumped in with Wynonna grinning at his heels. He wasn’t wearing his characteristic smirk, in fact, Champ looked downright whipped.

It was a good look on him.

They stopped about ten feet into the room, dead silent. Everyone stared.

Wynonna elbowed Champ.

“Jesus.” He scoffed and turned to Nedley. “I have some additional comments to make about the other night.” Champ paused, grinding his pretty teeth. “And about Haughtshit.”

Waverly smacked his arm.

“Fucking-! Fine! About Nicole, fine.”

Waverly smiled, triumphant. She trained her eyes again on Nicole, softening her gaze. It was the kind of look that had caused the mega-crush the first time they’d ever met. Only now, Nicole was sure the honey-laced eyes were meant for her alone. The bubble in her stomach popped.

“Additional comments?” Clootie asked, voice low.

Champ rolled his eyes. “I forgot to mention some stuff. Yesterday.”

The room was still again. Nicole looked to her dad, then her lawyer and then to Waverly, who was still beaming at her. It was hard not to get caught up in that smile, but Nicole kept her vision down.

“Well then,” Nedley said, making the first move. “I’d be happy to set you up in a interrogation room, we can record the whole thing, just like before.”

Champ started to nod, but Waverly cleared her throat and his eagerness shrank.

He turned to his ex-girlfriend, pitiful expression on. “Do I have to?”

Waverly narrowed her eyes, “We made an agreement, Champ.” She said, gesturing to Wynonna. “They _all_ need to hear the truth.

Nicole’s attention peaked. She only smiled to imagine the kind of bargain Wynonna might offer to make Champ go back on his words. It was probably more of a threat than an actual deal, but Nicole wouldn’t expect anything less.

The tension lingered between the three as Champ turned his terrified eyes to Wynonna. She smiled like the devil.

“Fine, fine, fine.” Champ stood up straight, facing Bill Haught. “I want to share this in front of Nicole’s parents,” he took one more glance at Wynonna, “And with Nicole.”

Nedley mustache twitched. “That’s not exactly procedurally sound.” He said.

Waverly jumped in.

“Isn’t there anywhere we could all just walk through the past couple days?” She stepped forward, “Really sequence things out? I was at the party too. And so was your daughter. We all have a history of that night.”

“Chrissy was there?” Nedley asked, squinting.

“She can vouch for Nicole,” Waverly continued, “and so can I. Things aren’t as simple as Champ made them out to be. We just want to make sure everyone has all the facts before making any kind of plea bargain.” She gave Nicole a hard look and the felon shivered. “Or any other kind of bargain.”

“Yeah, right.” Champ muttered.

Waverly made a move to smack Champ again before Wynonna grabbed her arm.

“Down, girl.”

Waverly blushed and held still.

“If additional evidence is being presented,” Clootie started, a smile in her throat, “I’d advise listening to the desires of the presenter, and creating the appropriate conditions that would yield the clearest testimony.” She started pulling up legal documents on her phone, stepping back in Nedley’s line of sight.

Waverly gave a quizzical look to Nicole, who only shrugged. “Who’s that?” She whispered to Wynonna.

“Constance Clootie. The stone bitch.” Her sister returned. “Haught’s folks must have hired her. Weird, she almost never works defense.”

Waverly could only watch as the woman talked and talked and talked. “Is she good?”

A thousand court cases flashed before Wynonna’s eyes. “Let’s just say, we’re lucky she’s on our team.”

Waverly nodded and Clootie’s speech drowned out the aside.

“…Not to mention, the dismal conditions my client has been subjected to for the past twenty four hours.” She concluded, “This isn’t the 1800’s anymore, Sheriff. We have to treat people with some respect.”

Nicole swallowed, quite grateful for the defense but nervous about her direct attacks on Nedley. After all, he had just offered her a job. She couldn’t very well take it, but it was nice to have the option.

The older man sighed. “We can open up the conference room, if Champ likes.” Nedley said, tightening his grip on Nicole’s shoulder. “But I’ll have to keep the suspect cuffed,” He gave a nod in Lonnie’s direction. “We still do a few things by the book around here.”

The Earp girls exhaled simultaneously.

Clootie slid the phone away. “Good call.”

Waverly pushed Champ forward slightly, centering him in the room. She was overeager, the chief sensation inside of her remained the urge to wrap Nicole in her arms, shove Nedley and Champ and Clootie away and find a quiet moment for the two of them. To kiss her like she’d been itching to since leaving the jail cell.

Waverly shook her head. Quit it, Earp. First things first. “Let’s get started.” She held a tremor in her voice.

Nicole stared at her, almost unwilling to believe that Waverly had actually done it.

“Wait.” Bill Haught spoke up. Everyone’s attention shifted. “Nic…” He paused, “Are you sure this is this what you want?”

There was more silence before Nicole remembered to nod.

“Yeah,” she smiled, “yeah, dad.”

And the party of eight made its way to the conference room that hadn’t been used in years.

 

 

Champ drummed his fingers on the wooden slab. Everyone stared at him. Nedley had his own digits on the big audio box that made little clicking noises every couple seconds. The room was big and drafty, shrouded by unused whiteboards and empty file boxes.

Nicole didn’t dare to look around. The metal was cutting into her skin, somewhat pleasantly.

Waverly was staring at her, she could feel it, but didn’t want to return the favor. If anything, that might seem incendiary. The Earps and her father were standing in the far corner, huddled together. Waverly had exchanged an initial look with Bill, shy and friendly, but kept her energy forward moving. Wynonna only had eyes for Champ, ready to keep him in check.

Champ himself was across from Nicole at the conference table. They were set up like opposing forces in a war room, each ready to propose their own path of destruction.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” Nedley set the recorder on. He was seated next to Champ, keeping close watch over the accused. “Friday evening, you were at the Jones’ residence, correct?”

“Who’s on trial here exactly?” Champ muttered.

Nedley smiled. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”

Champ looked back at Waverly, who nodded, highly expectant.

“Yeah, I was at the party.”  

“So take us through that night.” Nedley continued, “Everything you remember.”

Champ looked up at Nicole and his eyes softened slightly.

“Everything I remember.” He let the phrase fall out.

Nicole stared back at him.

“She, uh, she didn’t jump me.” He said, pulling his chair closer into the table. The scratch of Clootie’s notepad started. “I made that up.”

Nedley nodded, his eyebrows raised. “Oh.”

“And she wasn’t high, not that I know about.” Champ scratched at his nose. “She doesn’t take the drugs, that’s what everybody says.”

Bill Haught looked at Nicole, some relief flowing through him.

Nedley kept the machine recording. “Is there anything else you made up about Friday night, Champ?” He asked, glancing over at Clootie.

Champ bit his lower lip and sighed.

 

 

The day stretched on and Nedley did eventually get the whole story out of Champ. He started out resistant but it became obvious by sunset that nothing he’d told the police before had contained any real substance. Waverly was quick to confirm the account, happy to admit to her own brutalization of Champ’s ribcage. Nedley couldn’t say he quite blamed her.

“Is there anything else you need to tell us?” Nedley had his finger on the record button.

Champ closed his eyes and nodded yes.

So out came the July attack.

And then the party in May.

Her dad, who had always believed Nicole when she said she didn’t know the muggers and never pressed her on it, felt a greater rage building within him. Meanwhile, Wynonna was seeing white after the story of Nicole’s rescue came out. She might have to kill Champ anyways, just to make things even.

Champ’s jaw got tighter and tighter as he failed to defend himself in any meaningful way. His was pulling at a scab on his thumb and watching it bleed, little by little. Nicole found herself watching it too, an easy distraction.

She stayed quiet throughout all of it; something forming within her.

Champ’s recollection of the events that led her to selling; that led her to being arrested and to kissing a girl; to easing her fingers inside that girl in a jail cell; they all turned ugly and uglier. Nicole had relived that night in July so many times but it was never clearer than when Champ was giving his own version. Everything he missed only seemed to amplify the sensory details and the stunning pain. Her skin became sensitive, her eyes watered, her knee burned.

Champ’s voice seemed to make a mockery of it all. He was smart not to push Waverly and Nicole as anything more than friends, but that somehow made it even worse. Like it wasn’t even possible that Waverly could have left his sorry ass for another woman, for Nicole.

She started shaking.

Constance Clootie took it all down in her notebook and was quick to jump in as Champ’s testimony waned.

“Clearly, my client has been under extreme duress these past few months.” She made a motion towards Nicole. “I think we should talk about working towards rehabilitation and release for this poor girl.”

“I think that’s a mighty fine idea, Clootie.” Nedley nodded, clicking the machine off. “I don’t think there’s any need at all to bring this to Calgary.” He smiled at Bill Haught who let out a deep sigh. Waverly smiled, trembling and truly relieved for the first time in many days. Even Wynonna seemed to perk up as Nedley let them know they had won.

“Thank you, sheriff.” Her dad said. “Thank you, thank you.”

“Nicole.” Nedley sighed, rubbing under his eyes. “All this time and you never came to me with any of this.” He leaned in, trying to catch her gaze. The sun was disappearing over the horizon now, they’d been here all day. “We could have helped you.”

Nicole looked up for the first time in an hour. Suddenly, she was so hot.

“Excuse me?”

Her tone cut hard, setting Waverly back on edge.

“Nevermind it,” Nedley continued, “I only wonder if all of this could have been different.”

Nicole’s face twisted up.

“Nicole.” Waverly said, quietly. “It’s gonna be okay, they’re gonna help you.”

“Yeah.” Nicole said and Waverly visibly flinched. “Sure, okay.” She turned to Nedley, now the metal of the handcuffs cut clean into her skin and she grit her teeth, hoping for blood. “You’re all gonna save me now, huh? That’s real fucking nice.”

Everyone was still.

Nedley looked at her.

“We’re gonna get you out of here kid, the last thing you need is jail time.” He reached out to touch Nicole’s shoulder. “We’ll get you into better counseling, we’ll get you out of the syndicate. This is gonna help.”

Nicole shirked away from his touch.

“Right, cause everybody thinks I need _help_.”

“Nicole.” Waverly said again, her voice getting tight. “Just listen. Things are finally gonna be okay.”

She shook her head.

“Right, right, right. Why didn’t _I_ come to all of _you_?” She pulled against the chains, hissing as the metal pressed further into her skin. “Like none of you all had eyes in your head that whole year. Man, if only I’d been more obvious right? At least Champ knew what the fuck was going on.”

Champ shrunk down into his chair.

“No, fuck that.”

“Nic.” Her dad tried to say something.

“You know why I started selling?” She sat back against her chair hard.

Nedley stood up from his own, hands tense.

“I always told Waverly it was about money. And yeah, it was at first.” The chains groaned harder against the little notch they were clipped into. “But once I got started, fuck, it was fantastic. That feeling of… giving up your expectations.” Nicole sniffed, snot dribbling down her face. “You all thought I was a fuck-up, even if you didn’t say it. But me?” She smiled. “I _knew_ I was a fuck-up. I leaned right into it. And it felt great.”

Waverly came towards her suddenly.

“Get her out of these.” She said, raising her voice. “She’s freaking out or something.”

Nicole pulled harder against the cuffs and let out a little cry.

“You want your drug-dealing high school dropout?” She laughed, rocking back and forth now. The metal chair hit the ground with a louder clang each time. The cuffs jangled and pulled tight. “You got it, man.”

“Seriously, get her out of the cuffs!” Waverly exclaimed. She had her hands on Nicole’s shoulders, rubbing in little circles to try and relax her. “She’s gonna hurt herself!”

“I’ll be the worst fucking drug dealer you’ve ever met in your life. God, that was good, wasn’t it?” She smiled. She was really honest-to-God crying now, and the tears malformed her words until she was basically incoherent. “I can’t even sell to the right people, can I?” She shook her head. “And now you’re all gonna come here and tell me I should have reached out sooner? Yeah.” Nicole hiccuped. “It’s all my fault.”

“No one’s blaming you, baby.” Waverly said, not thinking.

“ _Everyone is blaming me._ ” Nicole pulled one last time on the cuffs and let out a shout as blood appeared on her hands. The chain snapped and she fell backwards.

There was a moment where she was falling.

Then she was in Waverly’s arms, descending to the floor like a feather. She let out a sob. Waverly fell around her. Her hands were bleeding still.

Everyone else watched as they crumpled to the ground, a mess of tears and explosive noises. Nicole’s head ended up in Waverly’s lap.

“Everyone is blaming me.” She said again.

It came out of her in a series of uneven breaths and harsh shudders. Waverly ran her fingers through her hair as Nicole continued to cry into her lap, so lost and terrified.

“Baby.” Waverly was crying too and she held Nicole in place, desperate to stop the shaking. “Baby, please.”

The adults in the room were frozen. Champ looked away, feeling sick at himself.

Waverly looked up at Nedley and Nicole’s dad, at Clootie and at Champ.

“It’s been a long couple of weeks.” She managed.

Nedley nodded.

“I think we’re done here, sheriff.” Clootie said, “I’d advise letting this child go home tonight.” She took another look at the weeping girls. “After you give her a few band-aids.”

Clootie walked out.

Nedley picked up Champ from the chair, wrapping firm hands around tense shoulders.

“Do you need the room?” He asked, “Lonnie and me should be talking with Champ awhile anyways.”

Waverly looked down at the girl in her arms.

“That might be nice.”

 

 

Nicole kept crying until she became so dehydrated that the tears stopped falling.

Waverly was whispering things as they fell. Little ‘I got you’s and ‘it’s okay’s and more. Just small things. Nicole could barely comprehend them anyways, hearing that Waverly was still present was enough.

Eventually, Nicole stopped shaking and could pull herself up. She leaned hard on Waverly’s shoulder, trying to catch her breath.

“Hey, you.” Waverly let it slip out.

Nicole tried to smile. “Hey.” Her voice crackled. She looked around the room and at the small cuts left on her wrists. “That was something, wasn’t it.”

Waverly traced the outline of her cheek, bringing her face up. “It’s been a lot of somethings.” Her fingers stopped. “I’m so sorry, Nicole. I’m sorry we weren’t better.”

Nicole wrapped her hand around Waverly’s, pulling herself closer.

“You were pretty great though.”

Waverly held out for a small smile. “Yeah.” Nicole noticed how rough her voice was. “I hope so.” She looked up at the recording device and the now empty chairs. Everyone was waiting for them outside, that is, except for Nedley and Champ. “I think you might have accidently turned me into a good person.”

Nicole looked at her strangely. “Waverly, everybody loves you.”

“I know, I know.” She pushed her hair back, tears in her eyes. “But I mean, an actually good person, like a whole person. Better than I was before anyways.”

Nicole stared at her.

“Very romantic.” She grinned. “Ms. Sweep-Me-Up-On-A-Golden-Horse. Ms. Love-Is-Real. Ms. Sunshine-On-A-Cloudy-Day. Do you write poetry?”  

Waverly surged forward and shut her up.

The kiss wasn’t like any they’d had before. There wasn’t any urgency for once, no one was waiting at the door. Waverly noticed all the subtlety of Nicole’s tear-stained lips and thanked God for Wynonna Earp and that stupid old bat.

“You taste good.” Nicole muttered, smiling again.

Waverly laughed. “So do you.” She slumped up, pulling on the table and then offering her hand to Nicole. “Everybody’s waiting on us.”

Nicole accepted the hand and got taller than Waverly again. “Do you think they have any idea?” She wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist and pulled tight.

“Yeah, right.” Waverly smirked. “Do you?”

Nicole shook her head and bent down to get one more taste before re-entering the vast closeted wasteland that awaited them. That was good for now.

“Oh!”

The girls shot apart. Nicole’s dad stood at the doorway with Wynonna at his side. His mouth was dropped open while Wynonna’s was curled into an evil smile.

“Holy shit.” Wynonna said. “I was so dumb. I thought you just really cared about tutoring.”

Bill Haught’s face was drawn together, confused.

“Dad.” Nicole said, heart pounding.

“Wynonna.” Waverly warned, putting her head in her hands.

The foursome stared at each other, each party unwilling to break first.

Finally, Bill Haught sighed. “Talk about it later?” He offered.

Nicole and Waverly nodded desperately.

“For sure.”

“Waves. Are we all set?” Wynonna stepped in. “I’m just about ready to pass out.”

Nicole frowned. “Doesn’t Nedley need to see me?”

“We’re coming in tomorrow to discuss a six-month help plan.” Her dad said, holding up a shitload of paperwork. “The sheriff believes you’ve earned a small reprieve.” He looked around. “They’re still confiscating the drugs though, of course.”

“Right.” Nicole said. “So, I’m actually, like, free?”

Her dad smiled. “Looks like it, kid.”

Waverly turned her around, wrapping the taller girl into such a bear hug that her ribs could have broken right back open. Nicole’s face flushed, spotting the delicious reaction of Wynonna and her father’s own little smile.

“Alright, alright. You freaks.” Wynonna interrupted, stepping towards the pair. “Save it.”

They parted, now even Waverly was blushing.

“You coming with us, Haughtshit?”

The nickname almost earned a rant from Waverly but Nicole beat her to it.

“If you want me to.”

“Wait, Nic.” Bill Haught stepped towards her again. “Your mom, she’ll be desperate to see you. I know you’re excited and everything. But, there’s stuff we need to establish going forward. And you’re still in a _lot_ of trouble-”

In the middle of his speech, Waverly’s hand wrapped around her own.

He paused.

“Dad, please.” Nicole asked, bravery trickling into her voice.

Bill Haught blinked and became still, taking in the sight of his daughter happier than he’d seen her in years. “Go on, go.” He gained back his smile. “You two deserve a night off.”

Nicole exhaled and Waverly laughed, high and free.

“Thanks.” She said, looking down at their interlocked hands with a shy grin.

He nodded. “But tomorrow morning, you at least need to come by and prove to your mom I didn’t let them cart you off to federal prison.”

Nicole gave a salute.

“Good kid.”

Wynonna clipped away from the three of them, heading towards the doorway.

“Yo, lovebirds! You still need to give me a ride to the homestead.” She smiled meanly, not giving up a speck of older-sister-authority. “Hurry this shit up.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, before turning and landing a kiss on Nicole’s cheek.

“Just uh, stay safe.” Bill Haught looked down, fulfilling his good parent duties. “And that includes you, Ms. Earp.”

Waverly blushed. “Of course.” And Nicole pulled her closer, pointing them in the direction of the front door. The sudden urge to be naked and alone was so strong, the pair couldn’t really stand one more interruption.

“Oh, and Waverly.” He interrupted again. They turned back, gripping tight to each other. “Don’t even think about hurting her.” His fists got hard. “Don’t even think about it.”

Waverly looked up at Nicole, eyes wet.

“Never.”

There was a lot they still needed to talk about, Waverly could see the dread in Wynonna’s eyes about Champ’s actions and Nicole was sure Nedley wasn’t done with her by any means. She was still pretty close to flunking out of high school and it was only November.

But for once, it was nice to have Waverly in her arms and not feel so goddamn scared of everything that implied.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopefully i'll get the next chap done at the next pace but honestly college is hard and is only gonna get harder so forgive me if it takes awhile!! i am always working though.
> 
> also! i'm on tumblr again, i just made a new blog that's more wynonna earp/fandom specific. i'll be posting writerly updates and info abt fics and also just general fandom nonsense so follow if you please!!!!! im pretty much gonna be following most people back cause my dash is dead lmao.
> 
> b-rogurt.tumblr.com


	10. 101010

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh you're gonna like this one

\--

 

Then Nicole took a shower. And shit, that was good.

The bathroom attached to Waverly’s hall was surprisingly clean for its place in the old, old house. Well, Nicole really shouldn’t have been surprised because it was _Waverly’s_ bathroom. And Waverly took care to make every surface reflective.

Nicole shampooed her scalp and wound up with that faint sweetness that Waverly always emanated. As the soap washed over her body, she noticed every mole and scar turn blank. The shower appeared to be a fountain of youth, foaming against the hard lines baked into her skin.

The room steamed and then cleared. She scrunched her hair with the bleached-out towels.

Music started falling from her lips, she was singing.

Waverly had hung out an old t-shirt of Wynonna’s and clean underwear. Nicole flushed only slightly to think about trading thongs with Waverly Earp.

She looked at herself in the mirror, still foggy.

Nicole found it kind of funny, but smelling like Waverly, there were actually a few more things she could like about herself. Like the scent softened an edge or two. Her smile seemed prettier; she didn’t look so deflated and tired; there was color in her cheeks.

Waverly’s shampoo must be made of unicorn cum or some shit.

Nicole squirted lavender-scented moisturizer into the palm of her hand and ran it down her legs. Maybe you should have shaved, Nicole felt a squirm of anxiousness settle in her stomach. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Nicole caught Waverly’s face smiling at her from behind a glass frame.

The picture was of all three Earp girls, they might have been thirteen, ten and six. Or maybe not, Nicole couldn’t tell exactly. Waverly’s smile wasn’t perfect, she hadn’t yet gotten braces, but Nicole took it in with a strange kind of wonder.

Waverly could always do something to quiet her mind.

Honestly, it might have been the shampoo or the hot water or her empty pockets, but there was part of Nicole that felt okay for the first time in sixteen months.

She ran her fingers through wet stubs. Her hair grew fast, it was already coming in. Nicole wasn’t sure yet if she’d let it grow all out or keep everything tight, keep it contained. She caught herself singing again and wiped the smile from her lips with the towel.

She felt clean.

Nicole tugged on the tee and thong and crept back into Waverly’s bedroom. Her stride felt different, like she wasn’t afraid of scaring anybody this time.

Waverly was already in bed, swimming in the large black hoodie she’d left outside the bathroom. She was reading something good, totally engrossed.

Nicole tried to contain a snort. “Wow.” Her face was wide. “I guess you’re a criminal now, too.”

Seeing Waverly in her sweatshirt like that started a small humming in her stomach. Nicole couldn’t count the hundreds of times she’d watched Waverly walk through the halls in _his_ letterman jacket with _his_ ugly name on the back. She didn’t have to think about that anymore. Waverly had blown Champ into ten thousand pieces.

Waverly looked up from her book and her face shifted, eyes softening, She swept her gaze up and down Nicole’s figure.

She bit her lip.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Waverly brushed the book to her side. “I was cold.”

Nicole held back a comment that a braver girl would have let slide and opted to carry out the implication instead. She walked over to Waverly and tugged up.

They were both standing now, it didn’t take long for Nicole to notice that Waverly wasn’t wearing much else besides the sweatshirt.

She tensed up.

“You have a pretty voice.” Waverly said, tucking her chin over Nicole’s shoulder. “I’ve never heard you sing.”

Nicole laughed, not embarassed for once. “Probably because I never sing.” She whispered, spinning the girl away from her bed. Waverly was practically limp, getting drowsy in the heat of Nicole’s skin. “Because I am a terrible singer.”

Waverly looked up at her, eyes open wide. “Liar.”  

Nicole didn’t fight, choosing that moment to press their lips together. Waverly pulled back, bumping against the bedside table. It was covered with more family photos, dated from before and after the deaths of her parents.

“No, no.” Waverly smiled, sneaking back up into Nicole’s arms. “You don’t get to distract me like that.” She put her hand on Nicole’s chest and pushed.

Nicole caught her by the wrist, unmovable.

“I’d love to distract you.”

And they fell over each other.

Nicole had worried that she wouldn’t kiss well enough. She had worried that she wouldn’t be able to create that same sensation they’d experienced in Stephanie Jones’ bathroom or the jail cell. She had worried that outside of danger, Waverly wouldn’t care to kiss her at all.

Boy, was she wrong.

Nicole kissed well, letting their lips weld together like ore. They caught the same breath and pulled each other against the walls of Waverly’s room. Their feet couldn’t find the bed, they were too focused on the texture of each other’s skin and the soft noises emerging from each other’s throats.

“I really got scared.” Waverly whispered into her ear, grabbing a fistfull of damp hair. “I wasn’t sure if I’d get to kiss you again.”  

Nicole’s heart broke.

“Look at that, you get to.”

They met again and Nicole wrapped her hands up around Waverly’s waist, pinning them together. Waverly liked that and pressed her hips tight to Nicole’s.

“Do you still have that febreze?” Nicole asked.

Waverly let out a loud cackle and pinched her side. “Jackass.” She coiled her arms around Nicole’s neck. “It was some pretty quick-thinking on my part, you should be proud of me.”

“I never said I wasn’t proud.” Nicole muttered, leaning back into her mouth.

Waverly let their tongues slip back and forth before turning to the side, towards her bed.

“I like how you smell, how you taste.” She tugged on Nicole’s fingers with a lovely little seductive look on her face. “I’d only cover it up for company’s sake.”

“That so?” Nicole would have laughed but the look in Waverly’s eyes was telling her that there wasn’t time for laughter anymore. “Well, I don’t think we’ll be having any company.” She said.

Waverly melted into her and suddenly they were on top of the bed, rolling the comforter out flat. It was a cold night. The snow was freezing over, Nicole could hear it hardening. That comforter, prewarmed by Waverly’s waiting for her, felt like an electric blanket.

Waverly ended up on top, tugging off the sweatshirt and sneaking between Nicole’s bare legs. Her hips were laid flat, snaking a moan out of Nicole. As electrifying as their moment in the jail cell had been, Waverly hadn’t yet touched her like that. The thought nearly knocked her out cold.

Waverly’s hands made their way down Nicole’s frame, slipping in between thighs to her reward.

“God, Nicole.” She licked her lips, looking back up. “You’re so wet.”

Nicole swallowed, letting her head sit back against the pillow with a gasp. It was true, her touch seemed to cause an eruption in Nicole, like some natural phenomenon. Waverly snuck underneath the gifted underwear and before Nicole could catch her breath, she was running herself up and down. Waverly’s fingers grew slick fast and Nicole went blind.

“God. God.” Waverly repeated, landing a kiss on Nicole’s collarbone. For once, the height advantage wasn’t working in her favor and Nicole leaned her head to try to grab Waverly’s lips again.

She had already moved on however, using her other hand to tug at the pointless t-shirt. It had ‘MARDUK’ written in big letters across the front with skeletal bodies adorning the words. Some heavy metal band, Nicole guessed. Classic Wynonna.

Then Waverly’s lips were wrapped around her nipple and Nicole stopped thinking about heavy metal and Wynonna. She let out a loud noise and Waverly’s fingers kicked into action down below. The underwear was soon gone, tossed to the floor. Waverly’s heavy tongue was sliding out and recapturing lost skin.

“I want…” Waverly mouth was still pressed to her, breath rushing over every nerve ending. “I want to taste you. Is that weird?”

Nicole’s breath halted again.

“Not weird.” She managed, her voice strangled.

Waverly stared at her and Nicole could feel just how nervous she was.

“I want you to feel how I felt.” Waverly wrinkled up her nose, like she was already disappointed in herself. “I need you to feel that, Nicole, but I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t want to do it wrong.”

“Hey.” Nicole was leaning forward now, naked and humming and so damn ready. “We don’t have to do anything tonight, Waverly.” She caught those terrified eyes under lamp light and pulled Waverly forward by the chin. “You don’t need to make me feel anything.”

Waverly shook herself from the grip.

“I want to. I want to.” She repeated. “I love you.”

Nicole stilled. Waverly’s eyes got as big as the words came back to her.

“I mean…” She dropped off, unable to land any kind of excuse. With Nicole’s skin shining in the harsh November moon, there was no lie that would even come close. “I love you, Nicole. I can’t be bad at loving you.” She ran a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. “I can’t.”

Maybe ten seconds ran by before Nicole Haught’s smile broke out, big and lovely.

“Waverly Earp.” Her fingers found skin. “When have you been bad at anything in your life?”

Waverly wasn’t in a hurry to hear the words back, she knew they weren’t even really together in any official capacity and maybe the words weren’t true. They certainly _felt_ true, but Waverly was eighteen years old, she wasn’t always sure what love felt like. Sure, she loved Wynonna, she loved Gus, she even loved her momma and daddy, dead as they were.

Waverly hadn’t loved Champ, but she had thought she did.

He said it plenty, like it was a menial task, something that would lead to an extra blowjob or buy him leverage he could use when they were fighting. And Waverly said it back, because it had seemed appropriate under the circumstance. Waverly was an Earp, and Earps weren’t well trained in falling in love, Wynonna was proof enough of that, same with her parents. Same with Wyatt Earp, way back in the 1800’s.

Nicole looked down, hiding that smile with the back of her hand.

Waverly wasn’t an expert, but she had a theory that if it felt like anything at all, love felt like this.

“I don’t exactly know what I’m doing here either.” Nicole admitted, running her arm back down the sheets. “We’ll figure it out, okay? Together?”

Waverly wiped something away and nodded.

Slowly, she found her way back to Nicole’s naked body and started pressing kiss after kiss to every available surface. Nicole felt herself respond, starting to remember what exactly they were trying to do here. She squirmed under the touch, letting out a pant as Waverly’s mouth brushed her nipple.

Pretty soon fingers were twisting down below and Nicole was almost embarrassingly close by the time Waverly laid her tongue down and tried whatever felt right.

Her strokes were broad and a little stilted but the rhythm they found brought Nicole to the edge almost immediately.

“Baby, baby.” Nicole didn’t whine like Waverly had in the prison, her voice was tempered and low. “Fuck.” The noises only drove Waverly to push further, move faster. Pretty soon, she locked a finger or two inside of Nicole, synchronizing their movements in a daze. Nicole’s thighs pressed in against her, shivering in the open air. The heat of the shower was forgotten but Waverly was making a new heat all their own.

When Nicole came, she slammed her head back down onto the pillow, shuddering against the waves. Waverly asked if she was done and Nicole could barely move, wrapped up in the sensation.

The girl began to kiss her way back up, advancing levels as she left little marks in the pale of Nicole’s skin. She couldn’t get enough of the skin. Nicole was so good at covering everything up, hiding all the evidence of her personhood. Seeing it laid before her was almost a sensory overload.

“I don’t know what the fuck you were worried about.” Nicole rasped, making Waverly giggle into her chest. She was laid on top again, wrapping their bodies together. Nicole was still gathering strength but Waverly could tell they weren’t _done_ by any stretch of the imagination. “Baby.”

Waverly shivered. “God, I love that.”

“What?” Nicole turned her head down.

“I’m your baby, huh?” She snuggled further into Nicole’s frame.

Nicole laughed. It felt so good to laugh like that, her whole body released.

“I guess so.”

Then Nicole started pulling at her underwear and Waverly realised how soaked _she_ was. It didn’t take long for their bodies to flip and the heat to re-emerge.

November had nothing on them.

 

\-- 

 

They woke up the next morning at the same time, bizarrely. Nicole opened her eyes to find Waverly’s fluttering.

It was no longer dark in Purgatory, in fact, it wasn’t even that cold. The comforter that Nicole had loved so much less than twelve hours ago now felt a little sweaty and she could feel Waverly’s weight shift, coming even closer. Summer was making itself known with one more triumphant day of sixty degree weather.

Waverly put herself back into Nicole’s arms, slipping just underneath her chin. Nicole held tight, recognizing how foreign all of this would have seemed three months ago.

“You let go of me.” She complained with a very sleepy voice.

They had ended up spooning, Nicole keeping Waverly’s whole body still.

“It got hot.” Nicole answered, smiling. Waverly was sweet when she was grumpy.

Waverly scoffed. “Lame.”

 

 

Wynonna was somehow awake. Nicole glanced at the clock in the kitchen and discovered it was already eleven. Still, it seemed worthy of note. Her eyes glared between the two girls, hands still interlocked. Waverly had adopted Nicole’s hoodie again. Meanwhile, Nicole’s sweatpants didn’t exactly fit her correctly.

“Oh.” Wynonna started, looking back down at her phone. “I didn’t realizing you’d be _quite_ so obvious about banging my sister, Haught.”

Nicole flipped her the bird and Waverly scoffed.

“Really, Wynonna?” She asked. “Are we doing this right now?”

Wynonna took a sip from a coffee cup that could have had anything in it and frowned. “What? My kid sister is banging some criminal dropout and I’m not supposed to be concerned?”

Waverly’s face got hard. “Wynonna.” She warned.

Her older sister slammed the mug down on the table, hard.

Nicole jumped. Waverly’s mouth dropped.

“Wynonna.” She repeated, raising her eyebrows.

Wynonna wiggled her own. Then her face turned; a regular, terrible Wynonna Earp grin. “Come on, I’m fucking with you.” She raised her hand for a high-five. “ _Get_ some, babygirl.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Ew, Nonna.”

(She quietly completed the high five with a tiny smile on her face).

Nicole, bewildered by it all, decided caffeine was definitely necessary to survive any domestic interaction with Wynonna Earp. She walked over to the coffee machine and pulled out two mugs like this was something she did every day.

“She knows you drink tea, right?” Nicole heard Wynonna say. Waverly must have answered with a dirty look because there was no audible response. Nicole let out a hum and set the steamer on.

She heard footsteps come towards her and soon, strong arms wrapped around Nicole’s waist

“You know, I’ve missed like, three cheer meets this week.” Waverly’s breath was on her back. “You’re a bad influence.”

Nicole turned, full cup of coffee now in her hands.

“I’m a terrible influence.” She smiled.

And Waverly returned it.

A gagging noise made its way across the kitchen and they both laughed.

“Are lesbians always this cheesey,” Wynonna called, wearing a hidden expression, “or is that just you two?”

Nicole chose to ignore it and focused on Waverly instead.

“I’m should go talk to Nedley soon.” She took a sip and nearly burned her tongue. The coffee was overground and bitter, she imagined Wynonna liked it that way. “Can I get a ride?”

“Of course, baby.” Waverly stepped out of her arms, switching off the buzzing steamer and reaching for a tea-bag from the top shelf. Why they were kept up there, out of Waverly’s range, Nicole couldn’t say for the life of her.

She got an idea.

Nicole easily reached past the shorter girl’s arms and snatched the box, presenting them to a squinting Waverly Earp with a smile.

“Did you want these?”

Waverly took one with a glare.

“Maybe Wynonna can give you a ride to the station.” She picked the mug off the countertop and walked away with steamer in hand. “I’m really busy today anyways. Some of us still go to class.”

Nicole smiled and smiled.

“Waverly.”

She turned, still playing hurt.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Waverly said, delicate and tortured. “Are you talking to me?”

“I’m so sorry, baby.” Nicole nestled her way between Waverly’s arms, drooping her eyes. “Sore subject, huh?”

“Oh my God, we get it. You _fuck_.” Wynonna let loose one more time. “Do I have to personally buy you a strapon to make this stop?”

That made both girls color and the act was quickly dropped.

“Wynonna.” Waverly groaned, leaning away from Nicole. She sat the mug down and quickly poured herself hot water with a little room left for cream. Waverly, unlike Nicole or Wynonna, had a taste for the subtle and sweet. “Why, why, why?”

Wynonna stood up from the table, moving towards them both. Her face remained wicked, like she had a thousand other cruel jokes just behind the surface. “Oh, this is just the start, you two.” As she moved past Nicole, she gave one more look. “Keep it clean, Haught.” She lost her smile. “You hurt her, you die.”

Nicole nodded, not even afraid anymore. “Wynonna.” She said, catching the older woman just before she cleared the room. “Hold on.”

The older Earp turned.

“Thank you, for yesterday.” Nicole said, looking down. “You didn’t have to.”

She laughed. “Of course, I did. Have you met this girl?” Wynonna gestured to Waverly. “I wasn’t about to have her chopping _my_ balls off.”

“I’m serious, Earp.” Nicole said again, stepping forward. “Thank you.”

The intensity of her tone caught Wynonna by surprise, Nicole could almost see something tender through those eyes, but it flashed away just as quick.

“Anytime, Nicole.”

Wynonna almost said something else, then she didn’t.

She disappeared upstairs, leaving Nicole and Waverly alone again. A look stuck between the two women as Waverly drew herself back into Nicole’s personal space with a tiny smile. The mug was somehow growing hotter in her hands.

“You know,” Waverly leaned in close, catching just the edge of Nicole’s lips. “I think you might actually be a good influence on _her_ too.”

Nicole hitched her breath and caught Waverly head on, kissing her like she deserved to be kissed after last night. The replays were still going wild in her head, every detail stuck on repeat like the hundreds of broken VHS tapes sitting just beyond the kitchen.

“So are we gonna ignore all the times she bought drugs off me?”

Waverly flicked her shoulder and Nicole didn’t mind.

“Can we just admit,” She paused, “that selling acid was probably a bad idea?”

Nicole wasn’t gonna give the wrong answer.

 

\--

 

They pulled up in front of the station and Waverly kept the doors locked as she shifted into park.

“When are you gonna get your license, huh?” She probed. They were both wrapped up now, Nicole still wearing what she had on in the jailhouse. Waverly had selected a puffy jacket that made her look like a marshmellow. “You’re almost nineteen.”

Nicole frowned. “I can _drive_.”

“Not the same thing.” Waverly muttered, hiding a smirk. “A permit is only gonna get you so far, missy.”

“We should save this conversation.” Nicole tugged on the handle. “You’re gonna make me late.” She whined, putting on her best Waverly Earp.

Waverly picked up on the insult. “You’re absolutely terrible.” She pulled on the strings of her hoodie and crashed their lips together again. “Okay” She detached herself, making a half-assed effort to smooth her hair down. “I’m going to actually try to get to my afternoon classes on time,” Waverly said, “but maybe I could see you later today?”

Nicole nodded. “I have therapy from three to four. You wanna grab me after?”

‘ _Grab me_ ’, Jesus fucking Christ, Haught.

Waverly was already smirking.

“Oh, absolutely.”  

Nicole flushed.

“Go on.” Waverly gestured, “I’ll see you.”

Nicole flipped open the door and was almost ready to walk through the slush when Waverly’s voice stopped her again.

“Wait.”

Nicole turned, still blushing. “Yeah?”

Waverly had something at the edge of her tongue, but she wasn’t saying it. Nicole picked up the silence.

“Waverly?”

“Nicole, what is this?” Waverly gestured to an imaginary ‘this’ between the two of them. “I mean, what are we?”

“What?” Nicole asked. The door stayed open, cool fall air blowing into the car.

Waverly’s expression was a little nervous, the same expression she’d kept during all those strange moments before they were friends, always watching with low eyes.

Nicole exhaled, fingers twitching.

“We don’t have to _be_ anything. I don’t want to pressure you to-”

Waverly interrupted, rapidfire.

“Do you maybe wanna be my girlfriend, Nicole?”

And Nicole couldn’t stop the smile that hit her face like baseball bat.

“Yeah.” She let out, if Nicole’s heart was going to explode it might as well happen now. “I would.”

Waverly gave a quick nod, looking distinctly pleased. “Good.” She grabbed Nicole’s hand and grasped tight enough to break a few more bones. “I’d hoped you might say that.”

Nicole stared at her. “I can’t believe you.”

Waverly let her grin fall out. “You better get used to me now, baby.” She gave the shattered hand one more squeeze. “You’re stuck with me.”

Nicole couldn’t really think of anything better.

 

 

Nedley looked up at Nicole. She twisted under the gaze.

“How are you doing?” He asked, tacking a bunch of files together with a paperclip. She could read her own name, ‘NICOLE ELIZABETH HAUGHT’, written in red sharpie at the top like a warning. Like she was an insect with flashing patterns, letting all predators know she was poisoned.

Nicole couldn’t help but think that even if some jungle prowler, a big cat or oversized toad, ate her up. Even if that creature died a horrible death because of it, Nicole would still still end up eaten. Lose-lose.

“Fine.” Nicole answered, hesitant. “Okay. Good. Great!”

Nedley raised his eyebrows. “Getting better by the second, huh?”

She leaned back in the seat. They were locked in the sheriff’s office, the whole station was up and running. It was Monday morning, Purgatory was alive. People were getting arrested and houses were burning downs and poor old ladies were worrying about their sons attending strip clubs.

“We’re putting another misdemeanor on your record, we’re not flushing anything away.” Nedley started, patting the papers down. “The drugs, those have to stay.”

He had a little golden nameplate on his desk, it was kind of sweet, like there’d be any other name there. The office was cozy, even familiar.

“I get it.” She let out a small sigh. “Colleges _love_ misdemeanors.”

Nedley shrugged, drifting his gaze off to the side. “You don’t need a college degree to attend the academy.” He chuckled, fiddling with a crooked pen on his desk. “I never went myself.”

Nicole snapped her attention back to the older man, quick as ever.

“You didn’t?” She asked, incredulous. “Really?”

He shook his head. “Never had the taste for it, math wasn’t my strongest subject and I nearly flunked out of senior precalculus.” Nedley thumbed through the file, Wynonna-worthy. “Didn’t get many offers.”

Nicole stewed in that.

“You really don’t need a degree to be a cop?”

“Not unless I’ve been faking it this whole time.” He laughed at his own bad joke.

Nicole let her eyes fall, thinking hard. “That seems like a terrible idea.” She said, “Doesn’t that bring out, like, really shitty cops?”

“Sometimes.” He started. “That’s why we need good young officers, with strong morals.” Nedley wrinkled his brow. “All I can think about is leaving this station house to Lonnie Clayton, what a nightmare.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “You’re too young to retire, sheriff.”

“Can’t retire til I have someone I trust around here.” Nedley’s eyes were lit up, like he was saying something important.

And he was.

A strange kind of bubble was forming in Nicole’s stomach as she put the pieces together. Nedley might have wanted her to do something; be somebody.

“So, the internship…” She started, not in the mood to mess around. “You did say, as of yesterday, that was still on the table, right?”

Nedley laughed, clearly impressed. “Behind bars one day; fighting crime the next, huh, Haught?”

“What can I say, sheriff” Nicole didn’t look away for once, “you’ve intrigued me.”

He leveled his gaze.

“You’ll keep going to see your counselor?” He asked, “The one I assigned?”

Nicole nodded, a detail.

“And you’ll pick your grades up?”

Nicole nodded again.

A faint smile on his lips, Nedley stroked his mustache. “Why don’t you come in after class gets out tomorrow?” He took a sip of coffee out of an oversized mug. “I’ll see if we have any paperwork needs refilling.”

Nicole stared at him.

“Seriously?”

Nedley brought his hand down on the desk, just loud enough to clear the air. “I want you to understand, Haught.” He said, very serious. “I don’t offer this out of pity, or because I think you’re worthy of being saved, cause you’ve been a grade-A shithead this past year or so’s.”

Nicole almost protested but couldn’t get the words out.

Nedley picked up on it.

“I know, I know, you had reasons. But reasons don’t mean you weren’t being a shithead, kiddo.” He took a deep breath. “I think you can be a better shithead, maybe even a really good one.” Sheriff Randy Nedley leaned back, smile growing. “And as one spaced-out, shithead teenager to another: I’m not in the habit of being wrong.”

The words escaped Nicole’s lips before she even had time to think.

“I’ll be there.”

Nedley nodded.

“Good.”

 

 

Nicole Haught, ignoring the knee, walked outside the station house and punched the air.

 

\--

 

Dr. Strats looked her up and down, eyes narrowing just a little. “Nicole,” she started, “nice haircut.”

Christ, what a fucking week.

“You missed your session last Monday.” She pulled out a notepad and scribbled something down. “The sheriff wasn’t pleased.”

Nicole sat down on the couch, fingers buzzing.

“I don’t need five things.”

Dr. Strats tilted forward.

“Pardon?”

Nicole laughed, unable to stop herself from sounding like a crazy person. “I don’t need five things, man.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I’ve got one. I only need one.”

“One what?”

Nicole paused, feeling her breath catch up with her. “You know how I got caught the first time around?” She asked, “With the acid?”

“First time?” Strats frowned. “Are you saying there’s been a second time now?”

Nicole waved the question away with her palm. “I was in Calgary, a friend gave me a lift.” She bit her lip, thinking on it. “Well, less of a friend, more of a supplier. He would drive me all over the place when my mom was using the car.” Nicole started bouncing her knee, thinking back on the night was strange now. It had sucked so bad, but now look. “I was doing really well that night, pocketed a few hundred bucks near one of the clubs.” She grinned. “It was one of my best nights actually.”

Dr. Strats was writing now.

“This guy comes up, he knows all the right things to say.” Nicole rubbed her lips, a little chapped from the air outside. And Waverly. “I never even thought- but he was a cop. He knew the whole fucking time and I played right into it. I incriminated myself right away.” She grimaced. “I even pulled out the baggie, which you’re not supposed to do. You never pull it out in public, first conversation.”

Her therapist nodded.

“But I did.” She shook her head. “And I fucked myself over. They booked me right away, I think they could tell I was terrified and I started crying.” Nicole’s stomach clenched. “I guess I really didn’t think I’d get caught, I thought I’d be able to talk my way out of it. My guy didn’t really say what to do if a cop showed up, guess he figured the same thing.”

“He dropped you?”

Nicole shrugged. “Like I said, he wasn’t really a friend, but I don’t blame him for it.”

Dr. Strats wrote something else down.

“I said I was from the suburbs and apparently Nedley takes the kids who get arrested downtown. I got moved, an hour in a police car at 12am, scared the living hell out of me.” Nicole shook her head. “But I preferred Nedley to the Calgary people, they freaked me out.”

“Uh-huh?” Dr. Strats was leading now, professionally curious.

“They were rougher than they needed to be, I guess they thought I was some suburb princess looking for kicks. Thought they might scare me.” She swallowed. “They did.”

The sirens were louder than Nicole thought they’d be, the men who arrested her were screaming, hollering louder than the club-goers. They seemed like the ones who were tripping.

“Point is, I hated those cops’ fucking guts,” Nicole finished, “but I figure… I could be a better one.”

Dr. Strats’ eyes might have popped out of her head.

“You want to be _police_?”

Nicole didn’t back down. “I want to be better.” She said. “I wanna get better and be a better cop than those assholes, than that jackass Lonnie Clayton.” Nicole took a deep breath. “Yeah, I broke the law. I fucked up, but they made me wanna break more laws. You know? They didn’t exactly make law-abiding citizenry appealing.”

Strats kept her gaze leveled. “...But?” She asked.

Nicole smiled. “Nedley’s a good cop, and a good sheriff.”

The counselor cracked one as well.

“He is.” She said. “Purgatory’s finest. We’re lucky to have him.”

“Yeah: Purgatory’s finest.” Nicole repeated. “Not so bad.”

Dr. Strats leaned in, “You need a high school degree to attend police academy.” She held out her pen like a weapon. “You need to graduate.”

Nicole faltered.

“Right.”

Dr. Strats continued. “I think you can do it,” She said, reaching a hand over the table.

Nicole nodded, the remembrance of classes and grades creating a little pool of fear in the pit of her throat. Of course, she probably wouldn’t be able to graduate, fuck herself over even more. That’s always possible.

“Nicole.” Dr. Strats said. “I really think you can do this, with the right amount of academic help and if you continue to see a regular therapist.”

Nicole didn’t respond.

“Do you _want_ to keep seeing a therapist?” She asked. “Continue our sessions?” She added a sly smile. “We can see how long the province is willing to pay for it.”

Nicole, feeling some warmth again, nodded.

“Wonderful.” Dr. Strats knocked on the table like it would bring her luck. “Now, have you thought about getting a tutor?”

Waverly appeared, history book in hand, mouth overflowing with revelations about the universe; where we come from and where we’re were going.

Something clicked.

“Yeah.” Nicole gave a pitch perfect, Wynonna Earp, shit-eating grin. “I have a really good tutor.”

 

\--

 

Waverly waved at her from the car, honking the horn just a little. Nicole pulled the door open and set herself down in the sedan’s quaint shotgun seat.

Her girlfriend, _her girlfriend_ , winked.

“I’m here to grab you.” Waverly’s hand snuck around to pinch Nicole’s ass, quite a difficult task with the hoodie. “Remember?”

Nicole could barely fight it, laughing as Waverly’s roaming fingers turned their attention to tickling and pretty soon they were both cackling and slapping and sliding to the floor.

They looked at each other, tears in their eyes as debris fell around them. And Nicole made a choice.

“I love you.”

The sun was disappearing over the ugly municipal building, projecting red autumnal light into the car. Waverly smiled like she didn’t have to.

“Thank God, you asshole.” The sunset hit her eyes; pink and brown and blue and orange. “Me too.”

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END
> 
> ...JUST KIDDING who's ready for 10k epilogue in two weeks? it's already on its way :)
> 
> i love this story and i'm excited to finish it but i'm also sad because it has meant a lot to me reading all the responses and everything so i want to end this well! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, i had a lot of fun finally writing some good news.
> 
> and, as always, if you can leave a comment with your thoughts/words/incoherent emotions, they are greatly appreciated
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr @b-rogurt


	11. EP11OGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow.
> 
> so... to be honest. i had not written for this pairing in a while when i published this story. i wasn't really sure what it was going to be or where i was going with it. i really did not have a plot outline or anything. it was just one idea, nicole haught in a jail cell and waverly earp holding a bottle of advil.
> 
> a couple of months later and this is the most popular story i've ever written! i have like, multiple new fics on the way and i've actually met and talked to people/writers i really like and respect. it's a very cool thing.
> 
> the point of this is that i'm so grateful to everybody who has read this story, commented, given kudos or recommended it on tumblr and twitter. it means so much and i can't wait to keep writing stories for this fandom. truly a very good one.
> 
> i hope you enjoy this last piece, and that it feels right.

**\--**

 

**ee8GhT MO_NTH//S L_aTer**

 

**\--**

 

Nicole slid the tie around her neck; ready-to-wear thanks to her dad’s careful instruction. It was a deep and lovely blue, a gentle contrast to the warm ivory of her shirt. Everything was wrinkle free somehow. She ran a hand down either pant leg and reached for the jacket. It was tan, light and unobtrusive. Summer was in full force in Purgatory, eighties and above. And it was barely June.

She tugged at the lapels like she’d seen people do. It seemed important, as if the whole ensemble would fall apart without a subtle yank of the collar. Nicole turned to face herself in the mirror.

She smiled. Not bad, Haught.

Her dad had helped her pick the suit out a few weeks ago. She’d spent the whole day getting measured and fitted. Something that might have been torturous a few months ago but Nicole was discovering a few steady places to hold her weight. The knee didn’t lock up quite as easy.

She pushed her hair back. It had grown long, the bangs resting just past her earlobes. Her mom had left gel sitting on the bed as a suggestion but Nicole didn’t like the sticky feeling. It weighed down her head.

She let her hair flop. Waverly liked it better anyways.

“Looking sharp.”

Nicole turned, catching her dad’s smile in the mirror. He was similarly dressed, unruly hair distinctly combed. Nicole had heard how similar she and her dad looked for years, but it had never hit quite as hard.

“Thanks for the tie.” She tightened it again.

Bill Haught stepped towards her, finnicking with the edges of things. “It would have killed you to wear a skirt?” He said under his breath. “Your mother’s really been on my tail.”

“Dad.” Nicole rolled her eyes.

He picked up his hands again. “Kidding, kidding.” Her dad coughed out an old man laugh. “I like the suit. You look very official, like a graduate.”

Nicole fluffed his hair, she was taller than him by a quarter-inch. It was something. “I am a graduate.” She took another look at herself in the mirror.

Nicole remembered debating the merits of attending a graduation she herself wouldn’t get to graduate from. She remembered lying flat in the cell hall, content to be swallowed by concrete. This was a better feeling.

“Have you read Waverly’s speech?” Her dad grabbed a seat on the side of her bed.

Nicole laughed, “Only about ninety times.”

“I don’t know why she thinks she has anything to worry about.” Her dad looked around the room, most of the memorabilia had been boxed.

Nicole didn’t really know why she’d started on the task. After all, she wasn’t going anywhere. All of the trophies, the posters and plastered over holes, they’d started to feel like they belonged to someone else, from some other life. Nicole remembered living those moments but not very well. Maybe they’d resume their positions some day but for now, Nicole was happy to have blank walls.

Taped just above her bed were pictures; Waverly and Nicole; Nicole and the two Earp sisters; Chrissy too; Nicole in the station hall; just Waverly on her own. These were recent editions, but they felt a whole lot more permanent.

There were boxes in her closet with the other stuff. She and Waverly had looked through them, Waverly picking out the little things she wanted to keep, but Nicole kept most of it away.

“She’s brilliant,” Her dad continued, “and everyone in that room is gonna know it. What could she do that would make them think any different?”

Nicole tensed, reminded of something important.

“Oh yeah.” She turned away from the empty walls. “Dad.”

He looked up at her. “Nic?”

She pressed her smile flat. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, about the speech.” Nicole swallowed. “Waverly… She wants to leave Purgatory with a blank slate, you know? No more secrets.”

Bill Haught narrowed his eyes. “Right?”

“Well,” Nicole couldn’t believe the nerves that were creeping back into her, “she doesn’t want to hide.”

“Hide what?”

“Hide us.” Nicole continued, maintaining eye contact. That was something from therapy, she’d barely noticed the habit until it had been pointed out to her. Eye contact gave some power back. “She’s coming out in the speech, dad.”

He exhaled. Fingers appeared again and kept the mane down, the lines on her dad’s forehead deepened.

“I wanted to give you a heads up.” She took a step back. “We don’t think there are gonna be problems but…”

“It’s a small town,” He smiled, only slightly pained, “but with good people. I’m sure you’ll both be fine.”

Nicole’s heart rate ratcheted up. “We hope so.”

Neither her mother nor her father had erupted on the revelation that their only child was gay. Both had maintained suspicion but were willing to let Nicole figure it out for herself. They loved Waverly and appreciated her good influence. That didn’t stop them from worrying though, especially after everything that had happened with Champ.

Nicole and Waverly hadn’t planned to keep everything a secret, but it played out like that. Wynonna teased them both, gave them shit for being so puppy-dog in love, but even she fell silent on the subject of going public. Waverly was still the town darling and Nicole, for all the work she’d done, was struggling to break into the people’s trust.

It was a small town, and not everyone in Purgatory was good.

“I’ll go turn the A/C on.” Her dad stood up, brushing his pants off. “Don’t want you all sweaty for the ceremony.”

Nicole nodded. “I should get the robe.” She started towards the doorway.

“And the cap.”

She stopped.

Here we go.

“You can’t forget about that cap, kiddo.”

“I’m not sure about the cap.” She turned back to her dad, desperate smile lining her mouth. “The cap’s not such a big deal.”

Her dad sucked his teeth. “Waverly worked hard on that cap.”

“Believe me, I know.” Nicole exhaled sharply.

Bill Haught walked towards her, sinking into the plush carpet. “She’s gonna want you in it.” He squeezed her arm. “I think you know better than to get an Earp riled up on a day like this.”

“Waverly said she doesn’t mind.” It was a weak excuse, they both knew it. “She doesn’t care if I wear it or not.”

Her dad raised his eyebrows. “Right.”

Nicole looked down at her shoes.

“There’s no reason to be embarrassed, Nicole.” He shook his head, lips turned upwards. “Plenty of kids aren’t going to college.”  
Her head shot back up. “I’m not embarrassed.” Nicole said. “I just don’t think I’ve earned it.”

“It?” Her dad asked, tilting his head.

“Have you _seen_ the cap?” Nicole laughed, thinking about Waverly staying up all night with the glue gun. “It’s not exactly subtle.”

“She made it for you.” Her dad held his gaze steady. “She made it.”

Nicole nodded, blush creeping into her cheeks. It hadn’t become less bizarre, even in over half a year.

“Nicole Haught.” He exhaled. “I’m only ever going to give you one piece of advice about women.” He brushed a piece of lint off the shoulder of her jacket. “If she desperately wants something but brushes it off every chance she gets, that’s the most important thing you’ll ever do for her.”

Nicole’s stomach boiled. “Thanks dad.”

“Wear the cap.” He nodded. “I’ll go start the A/C.”

 

 

The graduation ceremony was held every June in the gymnasium. It was less than glamorous but perfect for the occasion. This year, there were nearly 250 graduating seniors, not bad at all by Purgatory standards.

Nicole fiddled with the cap just outside the ceremony hall, in line with everybody else.

They were split up in alphabetical order. This wouldn’t have been such a problem, as ‘H’ and ‘E’ aren’t so far off, but Waverly was a special case. She was the valedictorian and thus, got a chance to give a ten minute speech in front of her class and town. This also meant she received a unique processional moment.

Nicole couldn’t have been prouder when Waverly got the invitation to speak, but on the day of, in front of everybody, she really could have used her girlfriend’s hand.

Things were better at school, without Champ as ringleader the brigade of bullies and insults had died down for the most part. People kept their whispering to a minimum and were hush-silent as long as Waverly was in the room.

After all, everybody loved Waverly, and if Waverly said Nicole was cool, she was.

Nicole flipped the cap over, reading the decoration again. In bold, red letters, it said: “Purgatory Sheriff's Department: Protect and Serve.” Included among the text was the department logo, cut out of stock paper and glued on with near perfect symmetry.

Nicole had gained a reputation, her work with Nedley and his deputies not unnoticed by the town. Still, sticking their logo on her head felt a bit like overstepping. She hadn’t gone through training, she’d barely gone through physical therapy. This was a tall order.

She hoped, not for the first time, that the sheriff wouldn’t be able to make it. She hoped that some emergency in town would draw his professional focus. Nicole knew it was unlikely though, nearly everybody in Purgatory showed up for graduation. It was quite the event.

The other H’s muttered around her, shifting their weight on the sprung gym floors. Every senior in the building was crammed into the long hallway.

“You gotta wear the cap, Haught.”

She turned. Wynonna hadn’t given up her leather jacket for June’s heat.

“Wynonna.” Nicole smiled. “Glad you made it.”

“A nine-o-clock ceremony isn’t exactly what I’d call ideal,” she shrugged, “but I hear my little sister is about to cure cancer or something, so I figured I might as well drop by.”

“Well, she’ll be very happy.” Nicole pushed the bangs out of her eyes again. “You know you’re not supposed to be back here, right?”

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Oh please, it’s only been six years, I remember the layout.” They weren’t being listened to, Nicole’s classmates were making enough noise on their own. Still, Wynonna stuck out among the sea of navy blue. “Gus is saving me a seat out there. I’m trying to show her how to use the video setting on an iPhone. It’s an uphill battle.”

“Why?” Nicole laughed.

“She wants to record the speech.”

Her stomach turned again. “Gus knows about the speech, right?”

Wynonna scoffed. “Wave isn’t trying to give anybody a heart attack.”

Nicole’s mouth opened. There was a pause.

Wynonna’s eyes went wide, the context dawned on her. “Oh shit. Sorry.” She apologized to no one in particular.

Nicole stood silent.

Curtis had been a surprise.

“Shit.” Wynonna said again, frowning a little. “I bet he would’ve killed to see this, huh?”

Nicole nodded. She’d meet Gus and Curtis on several occasions. They’d been tough on her, very sensitive to their little Waverly’s heart. However, after a few weeks, Curtis had thawed and been downright hospitable.

No one saw the episode coming. It was the first few days of spring, he was out watering and something had just popped. The ambulance came too late; there was nothing to do.

Nicole grit her teeth at the memory. Just one more thing to fix in this town.

“I bet he would have.”

Wynonna nodded, grin forming. “I should get back.” She punched Nicole’s arm. “Kill it today.” She turned, traveling back into the depths of the building. “Wear the cap!” Wynonna called out.

Nicole waved and turned her attention back down to the garish object. She flipped it over and read the text again.

Protect and serve.

The glitter Waverly had used for extra flair was already flaking off, giving Nicole’s fingers an iridescent glow. She shook them to no avail.

Waverly wants you to wear it.

Nicole smiled. At the end of the day, that was more than enough reason. Nedley be damned.

 

 

The ceremony was made up of a series of traditions, each more convoluted than the last. The procession involved standing and sitting at precise times, fine attention to names being called and a truly ridiculous outfit for the district chair.

That didn’t stop Waverly from looking like an absolute gem as she entered last, freshly printed speech clutched in her hands. She was nervous, Nicole could tell right away, but still glowing. The University of Toronto had actually sent her a cover for the graduation cap but Waverly wanted to put her own spin on things. She cut the logo out of their gift basket, used more glitter than seemed entirely necessary and covered the whole thing with texts from some of her favorite history books.

It was just so Waverly. Gorgeous and smart and shiny.

The chair kicked off the event with a quick speech before inviting Purgatory’s principal and a few other town celebrities to the stand. Waverly was last. Sometimes, the audience could drift before the final speaker even got a chance to open her mouth but not this year. This year, Waverly was the main event.

“It is my distinct pleasure to invite Ms. Waverly Earp, class valedictorian, to the stage.”

The applause came and fell. Waverly approached with rabbit’s feet. She took a singular breath, adjusted the microphone and landed her gaze on Nicole.

Her girlfriend nodded, giving the biggest smile she could muster.

Waverly’s eyes faltered for just a second, taking in the sheer number of people all waiting on _her_. Nicole could see the fear in her eyes.

“I love you.” She mouthed.

The room hummed and Waverly nodded.

“I am so excited,” she began, “and proud to be standing here in this room, with all of you.”

The speech, in addition to being a crisp eleven minutes and thirty-two seconds, was full of the kind of subtle revelations and brilliant forward thinking that characterized Waverly herself. She set the tone of unmitigated joy for all her classmates, and for everyone in town.

Curtis hung like a spectre above it all but Waverly was only empowered by his obvious presence. As his name came up in the speech, the tears started to flow. No one felt embarrassed, only overwhelmed by the raw power flooding out of her tiny form.

And then, Nicole’s name came up.

And then the phrase, ‘as a gay woman’.

Eyes quickly landed on her. Nicole could see the panic start to emerge in her dad and the worry from Gus. It was a small town. Some whispering broke out. The graduates sitting just next to her turned their eyes with small wonder at the pair.

Nicole flashed back to every terrible party she’d ever attended.

Waverly cleared her throat, suddenly expecting the worst.

No sooner had an awful silence begun to descend over the crowd than a strong pair of hands started clapping. Nicole spun.

It was Nedley, standing in uniform. His hands reverberated throughout the strange church.

Chrissy followed, as did Nicole’s parents and pretty soon, two dozen voices were cheering for the speaker. The rest tipped over like a struck match to kerosene. It was nearly impossible to stay seated. Nicole could even spot former teammates and ex-friends standing for Waverly Earp.

The speaker didn’t hide her blush and the world only cheered harder.

She thanked them and people sat and Waverly continued. The buzzing in Nicole’s stomach didn’t go away, in fact it only increased. She turned to take another look at Nedley.

The old man winked, gesturing to his head. Even with Nicole’s poor lip reading skills, she could make out what he’d whispered at her.

“Nice hat.”

Nicole smiled even wider than before.

 

 

When they called her name, a different kind of applause occurred, almost in surprise. Nicole could hear, louder than anybody else, Waverly Earp wrecking her voice in a howl of support. As she made her way down the long aisle, Nicole saw her girlfriend filming the whole thing, tears in her eyes.

With one hand, she received the diploma and shook with the principal.

On the way back, her arm plunged into the air, holding the mark like a trophy, better than any of the golden icons gathering dust in her closet.

 

\--

 

“You were incredible.” Nicole piled another spoonful of strawberry frozen yogurt into her mouth. “I swear to God, this town is never gonna forget that speech.”

Waverly blushed into her choco-vanilla swirl. “Come on.” She muttered, failing to hide her righteous joy. “I think they were pretty much asleep by the time I got up there.”

Nicole waved her spoon. “You woke them right up.” She leaned in to land a soft kiss on Waverly’s cheek. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

The frozen yogurt place on the edge of town was nearly empty, unusual for this time of year. Of course, it was also unusual that Purgatory _had_ a frozen yogurt place but business moved steadily along. Everyone in town could use a break from the heat. Nicole and Waverly had elected for the outdoor seating in back, where they could talk in relative quiet.

There had been an afterparty with celebratory comments from townspeople and classmates. From Gus, there were prized chocolates for Waverly and a firm handshake for Nicole. Wynonna couldn’t even hold herself back from the sentimental and kept a grip on her younger sister the whole time. In the flood of people wanting to talk to Waverly Earp, Nicole had barely gotten the chance to see her girlfriend after the speech.

Once things quieted down, they both hunkered into the sedan and decided an impromptu ice cream date was absolutely necessary.

They had shed their robes, leaving them in the car. Nicole draped her jacket over the seat back and was enjoying the feeling of Waverly’s warm skin through the shirt. Even in the heat of June, they couldn’t stand to be away from each other.

Waverly mashed her froyo up into a fine paste, eliminating the need for a swirl at all. She had topped the creation with dried cherries and dark chocolate sprinkles, nearly turning the dessert savory.

“You know, I’m thinking about going vegan.” Waverly said.

Nicole laughed. “You keep saying that,” she teased, “and all I’m thinking is: does the world really need another gay vegan?”

Waverly pushed her, feigning hurt. “Hmph! And I was going to mention just how pretty I thought you looked in that suit.” She chastised, turning away from Nicole.

Waverly had on a fine, flowery dress that caught all the best of the blue sky. She was always telling Nicole to wear more blue and that the color suited her but clearly, Waverly was the one destined for sea.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Nicole wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, leaving a few kisses on her neck.

“Mm, your lips are so cold.” Waverly let out with a sigh. “Feels nice.”

Nicole kept moving upwards and soon Waverly had no choice but to turn and cut the head off the snake. She caught Nicole’s lips, taking in the strawberry flavor and stray smudge of syrup.

“You’re a mess,” she laughed, “but you taste good.”

Nicole only kissed her again and Waverly set the cup down. The dress she was wearing, fortunately, had ample skirt room. Waverly wrapped her legs around the suit, getting Nicole as close as possible. It was a good thing they were hidden by the store-front.

“You’re gonna spill my yogurt.” Nicole complained, tugging Waverly towards her with one hand. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Waverly scoffed, drawing even closer. “Are you ever going to let that go?” She picked up the near-empty froyo and tossed it in the bin. “You were calling me a emotional tourist.”

“You kind of _were_ being an emotional tourist.”

Nicole knew Waverly would try and pull away so she held tight, keeping them in place.

Waverly harrumphed again. “Well, maybe.” She licked her thumb and wiped a spot of Nicole’s cheek clean. “I was also insatiably attracted to your bad girl persona.”

Nicole creased her brow. “Yeah, but I didn’t know that.”

“It’s not my fault you’re no good at flirting.” Waverly leaned in, connecting their mouths again. They were both a little numb and took their time in warming the other up.

“I made this happen, didn’t I?” Nicole set her arms in the small of Waverly’s back,

“Excuse you?” Waverly jerked away. “Honey, _I_ made this happen. _I_ kissed you first.”

Nicole shrugged. “I would have gotten around to it.”

Waverly made a sound like a bird, high and offended. “Yeah, right!” She reached around to unlatch her heels, setting them down one after the other on the wire picnic table. “Keep telling yourself that, Haught.”

Nicole smirked. “Any particular reason you’re taking the shoes off?”

“I didn’t want to get them muddy, pervert.” Waverly shoved her. “Unless you’re trying to get us found out again.” There had been one auspicious occasion, in Waverly’s car in mid-February. Luckily, Lonnie was still as dumb as a post and completely bought their ‘study session’ excuse. He had not commented on whether pants were entirely necessary to study in. “Like it wasn’t hard enough keeping my hands off you in public.”

“Well, now they know.”

A silence descended, Nicole still balancing Waverly in her lap. Legs were swung over the side of the bench. Even though Nicole had been joking, it was hard to stop running her hands up and down the smooth passage of Waverly’s thighs.

“Any rude comments?”

Waverly looked down, making a little grunt.

“Only the usual, a few of the football buddies and a concerned citizen or two.” She sighed, trying to hold her smile up. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. Most people were very nice, especially with Wynonna and Gus behind me.” She whistled. “Those two could get a scarecrow to duck.”

“Don’t I know it?” Nicole sucked in some air. She’d been on the receiving end of a shovel talk from either one. Truly a terrifying pair.

Waverly kissed her again. “I’m glad I did it.” Her fingers found Nicole’s hair, a little sweaty at the back of the neck, collar slightly damp. “I’m not embarrassed about being in love with you, Nicole. I was, but I’m not anymore.”

Nicole kissed her back. Their tongues connected and pretty soon, the temperature wasn’t the thing bringing color to Nicole’s cheeks. She felt as though she could disappear into Waverly, get swallowed up in the largeness of everything that existed between them.

“How’s the pain today?”

Nicole smiled, rubbing her knee with a free hand. “Okay.”

Waverly stared at her, unconvinced. “Okay?”

The sessions had been going better; it was almost a state of mind that had shifted everything into place. At Nedley’s insistence, she’d been going back to physical therapy in the city. She’d always found the doctors patronizing and phony but the woman Nedley had suggested was neither. Somehow, she was now able to go for longer bike rides and maintain a decent mile on foot. She was getting some of her strength back, some of the tone. Nicole had even stepped out for a game or two of H.O.R.S.E. with Wynonna, Waverly playing doctor and taking bets.

“Some days are better than others, you know that.” Nicole answered, trying to get Waverly’s smile back.

She nodded, looking away. “I’d hoped today would be one of the better ones.”

Nicole wrapped her hand around Waverly’s cheek and pulled in. They met in the middle, heat scorching the grass underneath them.

“It was. I got to watch the smartest person I’ve ever met graduate high school.”

Waverly blushed. Nicole still made her blush like nothing else.

“Just wait til you get to Toronto.”

Nicole meant the last part to come out easy but it hit like an anchor. Waverly’s form got a little rigid.

She swallowed. They had both been so overjoyed when the letters started pouring in, all desperate for Waverly to attend _their_ school and no other. Waverly had bought her first plane ticket ever to travel to some of the locales and get a sense of her future. From the moment she’d landed at Pearson International, it was obvious. She wanted something new, to get a different perspective on things.

Waverly was on the phone telling Nicole all about the Robarts library and the museums and everything else when it hit them both.

Toronto was a thirty hour drive from Purgatory and Nicole wasn’t going anywhere.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” Nicole trailed off.

Waverly slumped out of their position and picked her yogurt back up. Heaping a bite into her mouth, she leaned on Nicole. “Baby.” She said, voice tampered just a little. ‘It’s fine. I can’t wait to go.”

And she couldn’t, really. The idea of getting four years to study and and meet new people and spend nights cramped in a library with only tea for company was everything.

That didn’t make this any easier.

So Nicole started to say something she’d been planning for months. “Have you thought about,” she stopped, nervous as hell, “I don’t know, have you thought at all about going in clean?”

Waverly was silent for a moment and chirped out a laugh. “Clean?”

“Like… single.”

Waverly’s face contorted. “What?”

Nicole pressed on. “You’re going to be focused on a million things, it’s your freshman year for Christ’s sake.” She waved her hands. “I don’t want to bog you down.”

“ _What_ did you just say?”

Nicole got a good look at her girlfriend and shrunk. “I only meant-”

“Are…” She interrupted, gears turning in the back of her head. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“Waverly.” Nicole cut in.

“Cause that’s really what it sounds like you’re doing but I _know_ you would never break up with me on my graduation day.” Waverly had her hands up now. She slid herself back along the bench, sinking feet into the grass.

Nicole reached for her hand. “I’m not breaking up with you.” She promised. “I’m only saying that… I understand if you want to be with other people. You’re about to meet a thousand new friends and some of them might be interested in you and I don’t want to be the ‘sad widow’ at home, holding you back from all that!”

Waverly shook the hand away. “So, you think I’d cheat on you?” She asked, familiar bluntness in her tone. Sometimes, it surprised Nicole just how much Waverly could resemble her sister.

“Of course not.” Nicole kept their eyes locked and inched towards her. “Of course not, Waverly.”

She looked down at her hands, they were shaking a little. Nicole could see the tears forming in Waverly’s eyes and cursed silently. This wasn’t what she had wanted for today, but once the words started coming, they hadn’t stopped.

“I know what you’re doing, Nicole.” She started, taking the first step. “And I know you think you’re doing the right thing, or the admirable thing, but you’re not.”

“Waverly.” Nicole started.

“Shh!” Waverly said, her voice harsh. “Come here.” She extended her hand.

Nicole stood, well trained. Waverly pulled their fingers together, landing Nicole’s palm just on top of her chest. The heartbeat sounded through her dress.

“Waverly?” Nicole asked.

“You feel that?” Waverly started, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Nicole could. Her heart sped up as well, pumping blood.  

“It still happens, every time. Every damn time.”

“What?”

“Every time you’re near me.” She laughed, holding the hand even tighter. “Every time you kiss me or brush by me in the halls or I wake up and you’re in my bed. My heart just-” She blew a raspberry, “-freaks out.”

Nicole looked down at their hands, shaking together.

“This isn’t some crush or an experiment.” Waverly continued, getting closer to Nicole. “You have to know this by now. The way I feel about you…” She took a deep breath. “It’s almost terrifying.” Waverly wrapped her hands around Nicole’s cheeks and tugged down, desperate for the contact.

Nicole leaned back from the kiss. “It won’t be easy. Long distance.”

“I didn’t really start dating you out of convenience.” Waverly said, eyes narrow. “I’m in love with you. I want to be with you. I’m not calling this off because of any long distance bullshit you’re giving me right now.”

“I just want you to have options, Waverly.” Nicole said, trying very hard to keep from toppling over with her.

“I have options. I have about one million options coming at me right now.” Waverly wiped her eyes. “I want you, Nicole Haught. I want to skype with you on weekends and I want to text you distracting pictures at work and I want you to send me care packages. I want to see you on every possible holiday weekend or break.” She looked up at Nicole. “Don’t you?”

Nicole nodded. “Yes.” She smiled. “Yes.”

Waverly gripped her hand tighter. “Good.” She bit her lip. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

Nicole didn’t say anything.

“We should get back.” Waverly squinted, trying to run the tears away. “Your graduation present awaits, or so I’m told.”

Nicole looked at Waverly. “Present?”

“Your parents let me in on it.” She winked. “It’s a good one.”

 

\--

 

“Holy shit.”

It was not a new car, but you could barely tell. Nicole’s parents had gotten the Honda shined and buffed. It gleamed in the starkness of June.

Waverly smiled, squeezing her hand tight.

“Right?”

It was black, almost sexy. Almost the kind of car Nicole could see herself never wanting to get out of.

“What do you think?” Cheryl Haught called from their porch. “Your dad wasn’t sure but I thought, it’s gotta be this one.”

“Tell dad he’s out of his mind.” Nicole said back, stumbling towards the driveway.

Her mom laughed. “That’s what I thought.”

Nicole ran into her arms, thanking her mother a thousand times. The keys were sitting on the dashboard, collecting sun.

“You’ll need something to get into Calgary when they need you.” Waverly kissed her shoulder. “We should install a bat signal.”

“Take it out.” Her mom gestured to the car, _her_ car. “Come on, you have to get a feel for the thing!”

Nicole turned to Waverly, eyes still wild. “Good thing I took drivers ed, huh?”

“I’m not gonna say I told you so but,” Waverly shrugged her smile off, “I told you so.”

 

 

They drove to the outskirts, summer air kept at bay by state-of-the-art air conditioning. Waverly plugged her phone into the aux and played terrible pop music that set Nicole’s mind on edge. Along the empty streets, she kept stealing glances; Waverly shone in the light.

On command, Nicole pulled off into some enclave.

“You got a name for her?” Waverly brushed the leather seats.

Nicole laughed, knowing exactly where this line of conversation was going. “Let’s say I don’t.”

“Most of the time, especially pre-1600, sailors would name a vessel after their beloveds.” Waverly reached over, slow as honey, and pushed the automatic seat-back button. “For good fortune.” It lowered with a mechanical whir.

“Oh good fortune, huh?” She teased.

Waverly drew her knee over Nicole’s lap, landing them on top of each other. “This is no joking matter, Ms. Haught.” She kissed the top of Nicole’s head. “I don’t want you getting shipwrecked.”

“Didn’t those sailors also believe that a woman on board was terrible luck?” Nicole asked, burning under Waverly’s feathered touch.

“Maybe.” Waverly muttered back, adjusting her skirt. “They were also all having sex with the other men on deck, so might’ve been biased.”

Nicole laughed, bringing their mouths together.

“Let’s christen her then. _S.S. Waverly_.”

Waverly crunched her fingers into Nicole’s shoulder, drawing out a gasp.

“Charmer.”

Nicole pressed her tongue against Waverly’s lips and slipped inside. Her hands fell down to the skirt, riding high on Waverly’s back. Things could have gotten a lot messier from there.

However, they both heard another car fast approaching on the gravel just behind them.

“Uh-oh.” Nicole laughed.

“Christ!” Waverly groaned, falling back into her seat. “Can’t a girl have sex in a car _one time_ without getting interrupted?”

Nicole rebuttoned the top of her shirt, smiling at Waverly. “Apparently not.”

“Let’s pray it’s Lonnie again, he-”

Waverly cut herself off, a gasp in her throat.

“Nicole.”

She pointed towards the window.

Nicole turned, eyes squinted. The face that greeted hers in the window kicked the air right out of her lungs.

Champ Hardy, risen from the dead.

He knocked once on the window, gesturing for Nicole to step out. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Waverly took a breath like she meant to speak but ended up saying nothing. She looped her hand around the door handle and clicked it open.

“Waverly.” Nicole turned to the sound.

But she was already standing, facing Champ right on.

“Champ.”

Her ex looked tired, circles under the eyes. Nicole remembered just how long it had been since anybody had seen him.

He still hadn’t spoken.

Nicole poked the door open, thinking about the last time she was this close to Champ Hardy in a car. He’d had a bottle to her neck, Chrissy had taken him out with the door of Waverly’s sedan.

Champ stepped back, moving his eyes to Nicole.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, putting herself between him and Waverly.

“Hello.” He started, his voice steady. Champ’s tee was one of the same he wore all the time when they went to school together, when he and Nicole were friends. Apparently his wardrobe hadn’t shifted much since he ran away.

After the truth had come out, it didn’t take long for Champ Hardy to disappear. His mother hadn’t heard much from him, just a text here and there. Rumors spread quickly, like they always did. Some thought he might’ve driven right off one of the cliffsides but nothing like that ever came up. No burned bodies or broken engines. Nicole hadn’t put much thought to it, though she was happy to be free of his stares, his bright smiles.

“Where have you been, Champ?” Waverly asked, her voice shaking. “Your mother’s been worried sick.”

There was a moment where he just looked at Waverly, catching himself up.

“Places.” He answered, his voice low. “I’ve been working.”

Nicole wrinkled her nose. She already didn’t like this. Champ was looking jumpy, like he was concealing a weapon or something. Her limited cop training was setting off sirens in her head. She checked for bulges, scanning the man up and down.

“Working how?” Waverly kept feeding him. She was too willing to let him back in. There was something in her that wanted everything to be right again. Nicole wasn’t the only one who’d gone to a therapy session or two since her stint in jail. The trauma of attempted rape had burned itself into Waverly’s psyche.

Waverly could remember a broken glass; the smell of undiluted vodka; a wet bed. The memories could swarm, leave her weeping on the floor of the homestead kitchen. All Nicole could do was hold on tight, the repetition of ‘it wasn’t your fault’ soothing any stilted movement. The attacks weren’t constant, but they were there.

Champ had hurt her beyond belief. She was only starting to figure out just how bad.

“What are you doing here?” Nicole asked again. “How did you find us?”

“I followed you, from the house.” He paled. “That sounded bad.”

“It did.” Nicole snarled.

Waverly turned, a sigh in her throat. “Baby.” Nicole inhaled, tension building in her shoulders. “Let him speak.” Waverly’s voice was so quiet Nicole could barely pick it up.

“Why should I do that?” Nicole took a step towards Champ who backed up on instinct. Waverly came from around the car like a blur, stepping between the two. Her hand fell to Nicole’s chest, still sensitive. “Baby, why the hell-?”

“Please,” Waverly gave her a long look, gesturing to Champ, “just, one minute. He’s… Well, he’s clearly got something to say.”

Nicole narrowed her eyes, heart burning. Champ stared at Waverly. He was terrible at loving her, even worse at appreciating what he had while he had it.

Nicole bit her lip. “Fine.”

“Maybe this was a bad idea.” Champ stepped back.

Waverly shook her head. “James.” She muttered. “What are you doing here?”

Champ wrung his hands. He seemed thinner, those sunken eyes extra prominent in the daylight. Something had woken him up, maybe it had been Nicole or Waverly, maybe it had been leaving town. Something had shifted.

Nicole didn’t like it.

“Just to talk.” His tongue emerged, wetting dry lips.

Waverly folded her arms in front of her.

A glass crashing to the floor; undiluted vodka; Nicole stepping into his parent’s bedroom and seeing them both, Waverly dead asleep, Champ unbuttoning her jeans.

Her girlfriend began to cry.

“Jesus.” She barked. “Jesus, Champ, why did you come back here?”

“I…” He couldn’t finish, staring at Waverly’s face. “I needed to apologize, to both of you.”

“Bullshit.” Nicole stepped in, wrapping her arms around Waverly.

“I heard you’re getting out of here.” Champ smiled, taking one step towards his ex. “That’s amazing, you always wanted that.” He shook his head. “Toronto, that’s amazing. Amazing.”  

Waverly turned away, into Nicole.

The two former friends met the other’s gaze. Nicole’s eyes burned hard against the rodeo star. “You said you wanted to apologize.” The taste of burnt copper was hot on her tongue. “So do it.”

Champ exhaled quickly, nodding.

“Waverly.”

She poked her head back up at him.

“I need you to know how sorry I am, for everything.” He coughed. “It was fucked up. I fucked up. Majorly.”

Waverly was completely still.

“And to you, Haught. Nicole.” Champ made a small gesture. “I’m sorry. I really am.” He stretched his arms. “This town, it feels cursed sometimes. I don’t think I realized quite how much until I left. This place, this ground. Something’s _wrong_ with it.”

Nicole shifted off the bad knee.

“It brings out the worst in people.” He added. “The worst in me.”

“You blaming it on the geography, Hardy?” Nicole asked, unable to let her guard down. Waverly was pressed into her shoulder. “That’s weak.”

“It’s not. I’m not.” Champ’s voice came quick. “It was me.” He sighed, like he was picking it up for the first time. “It was me.”

Nicole squeezed Waverly’s form. The youngest Earp, as cursed as any of the three could be, set her gaze level again. She stared at Champ Hardy, her boyfriend of three years.

“Waverly.” Champ started.

“I don’t forgive you.” She said, her voice echoing. “I don’t.”

Champ could have doubled over.

“I can’t even smell vodka without-!” She cut off, a tremor slipping into her voice. “I don’t forgive you, Champ. Not for me, not for Nicole.” Waverly turned up to her girlfriend. “I don’t even forgive myself for that.”

That night in July weighed heavy on Nicole’s mind.

Waverly pulled away, walking back around to the passenger seat. She locked the door with a click.

James Hardy stared at Nicole, desperate for one small victory.

“Do you treat her right?” He asked.

Her mouth dropped.

Nicole let out a long, low laugh. “How the fuck would you know?” She took a last look, probably the very last look, and stepped back inside her shining car.

As they drove off, Champ stood right where he’d been left.

He didn’t curse.

 

\--

 

Nicole came into work the next day and went right to Nedley’s office.

“I just got off the phone with the Calgary people.” He smiled at her. “They’re happy to have you in, soon as the trainees get sent off.”

She nodded, grin forming.

“Yes, sir.”

Nicole would be attending some introductory classes at the Calgary offices, just some preliminary exams to see if she could even apply for academy. Waverly had been going over the application with her, prepping for the academic side of things.

With any luck, she could start taking classes in January.

Nedley paused, his eyes twinkling like they did sometimes. “You’ve done very well, Haught.” He added. “Better than I thought you might.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nedley liked to pretend he wasn’t a softie, but that was plainly ridiculous.

“That’s it.” He tossed her off. “There’s lots to do today, the McCarson boys are claiming Mrs. Phearson’s cows are on their land _again_.” He picked up his coffee mug. “I figured you could ride along with Daniels.”

“Sir?” Nicole asked, stepping towards the desk. “Champ Hardy approached me yesterday.”

Nedley stilled, looking up at her.

“Champ Hardy’s back in town?”

Nicole shook her head. “Not staying long, I don’t believe.” Her hands were clutched behind her back, eyes twitching.

“Hm.” Nedley wrinkled his mustache. “I wondered if we might see him again.”

“He wanted to apologize.”

Nedley leaned forward, mug still in hand. “You scanned him for weapons, didn’t you?”

“First thing, sir.” Nicole answered with a flourish.

Nedley winked. “Good kid.” He sighed, setting the coffee down. Nicole could see how much he didn’t want to wade back into that mess. Unreported crimes and extreme error on both ends. It was a regulatory disaster. “Well, hopefully he’ll stay clear of this building unless he wants to end up in handcuffs.”

Nicole laughed, something hiding in the pit of her stomach. “Yes, sir.”

“That’s all?”

Nicole nodded.

“Get back to Officer Daniels and I’ll have everybody keep an eye out.” Nedley patted some files down on his desk. There was always more to do, even in a town like Purgatory. Nicole turned and moved towards the doorway but couldn’t quite bring herself to leave. Something was stewing.

“He said this town was cursed.” The remark slipped out before she had time to process it.

Nedley looked at her, hands coming to a standstill.

“Yes?” He asked.

Nicole faced her boss. “He said the whole town brought out the worst in him, and in the rest of us.” She swallowed. “I’ve just been thinking about that.” The years of being a good kid, best at everything, best at sports and academics. Gifted and talented. All of that came crashing down the moment she’d stepped over the Purgatory town limits. The accident, the drugs, Champ. Nothing like that had ever happened to her before.

Nedley lowered his glasses.

“I used to think the same thing,” He muttered, scratching his chin, “but you know something, Haught?” She met his eyes. “I think most curses are self-applied.”

Nicole thought that over.

Of course, Waverly hadn’t come into her life either, not until after Purgatory.

“Anything else?”

Nicole shook her head. “No sir.” She walked away again. “Thank you sir.”

Nedley stared after her a minute and then went back to his files. “Good kid.” He said, hoping nobody could hear him.

 

**\--**

 

**2T.WO M_OntHS L8tR**

 

\--

 

It was an ugly August day when Waverly left Purgatory.

Nicole had expected to cry, but maybe not quite this much.

“You’ll call me when you touch down?” She asked, hugging tight into her girlfriends sweater. It was too hot to be wearing one, but the terminal was frigid, so Waverly informed her.

“The minute we land.” Waverly was smiling and shaking. The conflict of emotions was too great for her tiny body.

Gus was driving her, it was a good hour to the nearest airport.

Nicole wiped her nose. “Good.”

The interim two months hadn’t offered many solutions, mainly lazy days and trips to the fair and long makeout sessions in various inappropriate locations. Nicole kept hard at work as Waverly filled out roommate forms and got financial aid apps in.

They spent nearly every minute near each other, as if cramming would prepare them better for the final exam.

“I love you.”

Waverly surged forwards and caught her lips again. “I love you.” She mumbled.

Wynonna couldn’t even find it in her to make fun of them. She wasn’t crying but Nicole could see the threat of melancholy building within her.

Nobody knew what a Purgatory without Waverly Earp would even look like.

 

\--

 

It was four weeks when Nicole got the call. She’d been working, picked up out of her sorry state by a string of off-color vandals leaving ‘masterpieces’ on various historic buildings in town.

It was just paperwork, but Nicole was finding she didn’t mind paperwork so bad. She had stayed late on a Tuesday, even later than Nedley.

Her cell started playing a familiar song and Nicole jumped to answer. Waverly had been extremely busy that week, the intro-period over. Things were getting serious already and Waverly had, of course, loaded up on classes.

The days where she could barely text weren’t great for either of them, but they always managed to say ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ with a few ‘I love you’s in between.

“Hey, baby.” Nicole smiled, relieved.

Her joy came crashing down in a second when she heard Waverly’s shaky breath and figured out the girl was already crying.

“Hey.” The sound came out almost like a whine. “Hey. I’m sorry.” She sniffed, her voice cracking. “Jesus, I shouldn’t have called.”

Nicole’s heart broke. “Baby,” she whispered, “what is it? What’s up?”

“My roommates doing laundry.” She laughed. “Sometimes it sucks not being able to cry by yourself, huh? I get the feeling she’s judging me.”

Nicole smiled, it was good that Waverly was joking.

“What’s wrong?”

There was another long intake. Waverly’s voice was ragged.

“It’s just,” she paused, breaking again, “it’s so hard, Nicole. It’s hard doing this and it’s even harder doing it without you or Wynonna or Gus. Or Curtis.” Nicole could imagine Waverly’s little habits, biting at her nails as she unloaded all of this. “I don’t want you to think I’m not loving it, because I am, but at the same time…” She laughed sharply. “God, I’m even missing the worst things about home. I’m missing the ignorant people and the streets without road signs and the inadequately staffed restaurants.”

Nicole put her arm up on the desk.

“This city, is so big and terrifying and full of complete strangers and…” Waverly stopped, trying to slow herself down. “There are lots of people, super nice and friendly and interesting. I’m having a great time.” Her breath clipped. “Even Bustillos doing her laundry is a hell of a lot of fun.”

“But…?” Nicole asked, soothing.

Waverly went silent again.

“It’s just hard.” She said. “Might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

“I know.”

“These classes, Nicole. For the first time in my life, I feel behind.” Waverly was speeding up. “Everybody out here has AP credits and fantastic connections and I’m just Miss Small-Town-Bumpkin.”

Nicole interrupted. “Waverly, you are a hell of a lot smarter than any of those jerks who feel like lording A.P. scores over you.”

“It’s just different.” Waverly sighed. “It’s a whole new thing. And I’m scared, Nic. What if I can’t do this?”

“You can.” Nicole emphasized. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

Waverly’s voice trailed off again, the root of everything swimming to the surface.

“And I just miss you.”

Nicole stared at the clock. Nearly 9:30. Of course, it would have been even later for Waverly.

“I miss your lips and your voice and being able to touch you.” Waverly sighed. “God, I miss the way you smell.”

“I miss you so damn much, Waverly.” Nicole tapped her pen on the desk, a groan waiting just beneath her lips. “It’s killing me.”

There was a series of knocks from the other end and muffled shouting. Waverly laughed a little, hiccuping through the tears.

“That’ll be Rosita.” She commented. “She locked herself out. Again.”

Nicole laughed with her. “Of course.”

“Sorry, I should get that.” Nicole could hear shuffling as Waverly got up off the bed. “I hope I didn’t wake you up.”

Nicole shook her head. “I’m still at the station.”

An offended gasp came through the speaker. “Nedley is working you too hard.”

“You know that’s not true.” She smiled. “It’s paperwork. And I’m studying for blue book.”

Waverly’s voice softened. “Of course you are.” She sniffed. “I’m so proud of you.”

The knocking came again, followed by more shouts. Nicole was pretty sure she could make out Waverly’s name.

“I should get that.” She said. “I love you baby. Call me tomorrow?”

Nicole nodded. “Of course. I love you.” She was about to hang up when Waverly’s voice came again.

“I just…” She lost it. “I wish you were here is all.”

Nicole glanced up at the clock again. 9:32.

“Me too.” She bit the nub of her pencil. “Me too.”

The line went dead but Nicole kept thinking. Of course, it would be a few more weeks before Waverly came home for fall break. This was the really brutal time, the first two months. Nicole knew she couldn’t drop everything and disappear for a week.

Nicole thought about the couple hundred dollars she still had saved in that grate. Half-drug money, half-stipend from Nedley. She mixed everything up, not hoping to tell which was which.

A couple hundred dollars would be more than enough for gas and a night in a hotel.

She leaned back in the office chair.

Two months was a long time.

Nicole packed up her stuff and headed home, the plan settling in her mind.

 

\--

 

It was Wednesday morning.

Nicole loaded the car up, well aware that she’d only be able to stay a couple of days. However, Waverly had that Monday off, they’d talked about it.

“This is damn crazy, you know that?” Wynonna had brought a care package from Gus. “You’re gonna be a zombie. And it’s only been four weeks.”

“It’s been thirty-five days.” Nicole answered, taking the box with a smile.

Wynonna made a face. “God, you two are still gross a billion miles from each other.”

Nicole slid her own box of chocolates and other goodies in the front seat. She looked back at Wynonna, not quite prepared for what the next thirty-six hours were going to bring. “Wish me luck, Earp.”

Wynonna smirked, patting her friend on the back. “Good luck, Haughtshit.” She laughed, always ready to push Nicole’s buttons. “You’re gonna need it.”

 

 

The drive was not as treacherous as she had expected. Nicole kept her foot steady on the gas. The ground wasn’t frozen over but the air did have a slight chill. Nicole realized as soon as she checked the estimated time of arrival on her phone that it was one year since that night.

Waverly Earp had come to the station house to pick up Wynonna and found Nicole instead.

That seemed like fate to her, so she kept driving.

A couple of hours into the first day, she could already feel her knee cramping up. Nicole grimaced, all this time spent in a car couldn’t be good. She pulled over to the side of the road and did one of the therapy exercises she knew by heart.

Nicole figured she must look crazy to the other cars whizzing by but didn’t care.

Things didn’t really start stinging until the following day. Thursday morning, around eleven, a streak of pain shot through the knee and Nicole nearly accelerated into the car in front of her. She cursed.

There was a little gas station a few hundred feet off. Nicole pulled her shaking body together and shifted into the far lane.  

“Shit.” She muttered, hopping out of the car, trying to stretch things out. Nicole ran through an exercise, bouncing her toes on the side rail but the pain didn’t subside. She sighed, wiping some of the rain out of her eyes. It had been pouring all day, road conditions were brutal.

Nicole liked driving, but her knee hadn’t hurt like this in awhile. After all the physical strain she’d been building for months, of course it was sitting completely still for thirty hours that did her in.

She stepped inside the convenience stand, looking for a pack of nuts and a soda. The store was pretty much empty, guess people were steering clear of the roadways.

That was smart. Nicole was stepping cautiously towards the snack aisle when her leg buckled and went out from under her. She landed in a silent crash, no witnesses in sight.

“Fuck me.” Nicole muttered, lifting her head off the cheap tile flooring. Mud coated her hands. She reached for one of the plastic stalls to pull herself up and noticed a pack of crackers staring at her from the ground.

The same damn pack of crackers Waverly had offered in that jail cell one year ago.

Nicole picked them up. The virgin Mary on a piece of toast.

“Fucking weird.” She smiled, holding tight to the wall.

With some effort and a healthy dose of four-letter-words, Nicole made her way back to the counter. She set the crackers down alongside two bottles of Coke and some gum.

“Road trip?” The kid asked her. He couldn’t have been much older than she was. Maybe twenty.

Nicole nodded.

“The peanut butter’s got lots of protein.” He added.

Nicole got back to her car, rain soaked and buzzing.

How fucking weird was that?

She started her engine, stretching out the knee once more. She decided it would last, at least to Toronto. With one hand, she ripped the packet open and stuffed a cracker in her mouth. It tasted extravagant.

 

\--

 

On the third day, she drove from dawn to dusk, watching the October sun slip behind the mountains. Signs welcomed her to Toronto, more signs pointed her towards the school.

Nicole found parking easy enough. She slipped into Waverly’s building with a group students, hiding among their ranks. Waverly had texted a picture of her dorm on the first day. That picture had, thankfully, included a room number. She took the elevator up, careful not to engage the knee.

The door was pretty bare aside from a few stickers placed around the ‘EARP/BUSTILLOS’ marker.

Nicole could barely keep herself from shouting.

She placed a few careful knocks on the door.

For a moment, the idea that Waverly wouldn’t be in ran through her. Nicole was pretty sure she didn’t have late classes but Friday nights were party nights. Nicole wasn’t stupid.

Hell if she would have to find another hotel.

Nicole knocked again. An unfamiliar voice appeared.

“Coming! Coming! Jesucristo.” The door swung wide. A tiny girl wearing a long black ponytail answered with a toothbrush in her mouth. “We didn’t order anything-”

She took Nicole in, staring her up and down.

“Oh.” A confused expression came over her face. “Can I help you?”

Nicole’s knee held strong.

“Who is it, Rosie?” Waverly came from around the corner. As soon as she locked eyes on Nicole, the water bottle dropped out of her grasp. It hit the floor with a clank but didn’t break. Water spilled over the fuzzy carpet. A Waverly choice, that was obvious enough.

“Hey.” Nicole smiled. “Hey.”

The noise that came out of Waverly’s mouth was loud enough to wake the entire campus. Nicole wasn’t sure they wouldn’t have students thinking a fire alarm had gone off.

Then her girlfriend snapped into a run, landing herself in Nicole’s arms with another shout. Rosita cleared right out of the doorway, eyes wide.

“Holy fuck.” Waverly said, becoming still for just a minute to make sure Nicole really was there. “Holy fuck, you’re here.”

“I’m here.” Nicole smiled, supporting Waverly’s full weight. The knee was forgotten “I’m here.”

Waverly’s kiss came before she could finish the thought and then it was Rosita’s turn to make noise.

“Oh!” Rosita shouted. “ _You’re_ Nicole.”

The couple barely noticed, making up for lost time. Nicole came into the room, still strong on her legs. Waverly had her pressed against the wall in seconds, terribly close to screwing convention and ripping Nicole’s shirt off.

“Oh. Okay, guys.” The roommate said, averting her eyes. “Still here. Hey! Waverly!”

They broke apart, Waverly not even having the decency to blush. “Rosie. Do you think you could stay with someone else tonight?” Her eyes didn’t leave the desired object.

Nicole tapped Waverly’s leg with a loose thumb in warning.

Rosita nodded, rolling her eyes. “Sounds like a plan.” She grabbed her toiletries off the shelf and made her way towards the door. “Use protection.” She called back, well into the hallway.

Nicole, who was still holding Waverly, decided now was not the time to tear something all over again and set her down gentle on the ground.

“Hey.”

Waverly ran her fingers over Nicole’s cheeks, staring up in disbelief. “How?”

“I, uh, I kinda drove.” Nicole blushed, unable to believe it herself.

Waverly’s eyes got big. “You _drove_ here?” She exclaimed, sinking her nails into the back of Nicole’s neck. The action sent goosebumps down both of their spines. “Are you insane? That’s over 2,000 miles.”

“I’d drive further.” Nicole said, feeling romantic. “I’d drive way further for you.”

Waverly scoffed, tears coming. “You cheeseball.” She pushed the hair out of Nicole’s eyes and kissed her again. “You must be exhausted.”

Nicole shook her head. “I’m suddenly feeling very awake.” She wrapped her arms tight around Waverly as proof. “In fact, I’ve never felt so awake in my life.”

Waverly purred under the touch, bringing her hands to Nicole’s face. It was very obvious that clothes were no longer necessary.

“Well, in that case…”

Their lips crashed together. Nicole hadn’t forgotten the feeling, but even in a short month, kissing Waverly again was like turning the color back on.

“They have thin walls here.” Waverly muttered, breath low.

Nicole bit her bottom lip. “Too bad.”

 

 

“You know, this isn’t the most _romantic_ date.” Waverly teased, finishing a crust off. They were both tangled up in each other, Rosita’s TV playing something dumb. It was now nearly one, but neither girl was tired.

“Eating pizza naked isn’t romantic?” Nicole asked. “Someone forgot to tell me that.”

Waverly had been the one to brave the outdoors to collect their delivery, at Nicole’s disapproval. She’d insisted after Nicole drove all that way, wrapping the dark jacket around her tiny form. Nicole had forgotten just how much she loved seeing Waverly in her clothes.

She leaned in to kiss her girlfriend again. They were a little sweaty and a little chilled. The school hadn’t yet flipped on the heating. Waverly’s mountainous pile of blankets would make up for the cold and then some, but those had all been discarded to floor.

“I brought some presents,” Nicole whispered, “from Gus and Wynonna. And me.”

Waverly snuggled in closer. “I’m pretty sure you’re the best present I’m gonna get all year but okay, baby.”

Nicole hummed. “I think you need another sweatshirt,” she added, “and I brought mine, specially wrapped.”

Waverly’s eyes lit up. Nicole knew just how much she loved that damn hoodie. “You _are_ the best present.” She crushed her girlfriend's hand.

Nicole stretched out a little bit, her feet were just barely dangling over the edge of Waverly’s bed.

“Oh shoot.” Waverly said, staring down at Nicole’s naked form.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. “What?”

“Nothing, I just realized,” Waverly started, “I shouldn’t have jumped on you earlier. Your knee is probably run ragged.”

Nicole thought about it. It hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Feels fine.” She smiled.

Waverly gave her a look right back. “Really?” She asked, dancing fingers down Nicole’s abdomen. She shivered.

For a moment, it didn’t matter that the next four years were going to be so hard and so incredible. It didn’t matter that Waverly wasn’t sure what to major in and that Nicole could still have trouble getting the charges wiped. It didn’t matter that they only had three days with each other.

Nicole kissed Waverly’s forehead. “Really.”

Champ didn’t matter. Neither did the drugs. Neither did Rosita Bustillos or Wynonna Earp or the parties or the courtside games.

Waverly took the last slice of pizza. “You know I’m thinking about going vegan.” She said, cheese in her teeth.

Nicole laughed, earning her a poke in the belly.

“Sure.”

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end!!
> 
> so like i said, more stories are on their way. i have a halloween fic that will hopefully be published in the next week or so, and an update to the 'lost girl au'. and more after that. keep posted.
> 
> this world may occasionally be revisited, just oneshots and things in their future. they'll be updated in the new series i've created: 'nowhere to go but down'. 
> 
> if you want to talk about the story or gay things in general, i'm @b-rogurt on tumblr


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